Looming Legal Action
Australia is threatening to sue social media companies for allegedly failing to comply with a law banning children under 16 from their platforms. Communications Minister Anika Wells said on Tuesday that big tech companies were "failing to obey the laws." The Safety Commission is accusing Meta, Google, Snapchat, and TikTok of implementation breaches.
Regulator's Concerns
Regulator eSafety has "significant concerns" about the compliance of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said she is concerned that some platforms may not be doing enough to comply with Australian law. The regulator will begin enforcing the restrictions and gathering evidence.
Potential Penalties
Tech companies face fines of up to $33.9 million under the new law. The evidence must show the platform has not implemented appropriate systems and processes, according to Inman Grant. The legislation banned users under 16 from 10 platforms.
Platform Responses
A Meta spokesperson said that the company is "committed to complying with Australia's social media ban." Snap said it had locked 450,000 accounts and "continue to lock more every day." Meta argues that accurate age determination is a "challenge for the whole industry" and that "robust age verification and parental approval" at the app store level is the most effective approach to protect young people.
Ban's Effectiveness Questioned
Many under-16s continue to use the 10 platforms covered by the law: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch. One pupil claimed that, of 180 girls in her year group, she was aware of only three who had been booted off platforms. In January, the regulator said 4.7 million accounts had been restricted or removed in the first month since the law took effect on December 10.
Broader Implications
The ban is being closely watched by countries like the UK. The ban was justified as necessary to protect children from harmful content and addictive algorithms. Some question the ban's enforceability and say it unfairly excludes minority groups such as rural kids, disabled teenagers and those who identify as LGBTQ+, who are more likely to find their communities online.
