Australia passes social media ban for under 16s

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BlueHammer85

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Australian senators have passed a world-first law that bans under 16s from having social media accounts.

The legislation is set to come into force in November 2025.

It includes some of the toughest social media controls in the world and will force platforms to take reasonable steps to ensure age-verification protections are in place.

The law will make platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit and X liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (£25m) if they don't systemically stop children younger than 16 from holding accounts.

The platforms will have one year to work out how to implement the ban before the fines come into force.

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Very happy about this, I would never want my kids to be exposed to some of the horrific stuff i saw on Twitter and other platforms, stabbings, beatings, rapes and the tidal wave of hate, Misinformation and political shite that is on there. Let's hope the UK implement the same soon.
 
Really_here said:
I do hope we do the same but I'm also interested to see how the Australian government and the social media companies can control this and what the definition of "reasonable steps" is.
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Very true. It seems like a good idea - but the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Will be very interested to see how it sticks.
 
How will that work? We know there is always a work around! It will stop majority from it though and maybe most them be happy about it!
 
Problem is they will just move to another platform that has even less oversight than the ones they currently use.

It just becomes a new business opportunity for a different social media provider that isnt currently mainstream.
 
BlueHammer85 said:
Whilst true, it’s hard on parents and the kids when other kids and their mates are all on social media.
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If they threw their kids off a cliff eoukd they do the same? Got to be tough love I’m afraid. I closely monitor my daughters use of social media limited screen time etc, it’s not hard and she’s grown up sensible because of it in that regard, she’s pissed off at school (which supposedly comes down on phones) as certain kids are on tik tok live playing games etc in class, as a parent I’d not allow that and close all those down during the day on their phones it can be done and monitored unfortunately the parents are as bad as the kids and don’t give a fuck I feel sorry for the teachers.
 
Hope they make us parents liable for signing up our kids.

These companies should never been given free reign to corrupt our kids for so long.

Kids should have kid appropriate social media. Same for young teens and the same for older teens.
 
Kids will have found a way around this before the ink is even dry . Every older generations try and put limits on the younger ones, we must accept that social media is how people keep in touch and talk to people all over the globe, promote their businesses and be and make a fortune out of being an influencer or whatever they are called

However if you can get every parent to sign up.. just takes one of them not to sign up and the kids will get in via their kids
 
kaz7 said:
Kids will have found a way around this before the ink is even dry . Every older generations try and put limits on the younger ones, we must accept that social media is how people keep in touch and talk to people all over the globe, promote their businesses and be and make a fortune out of being an influencer or whatever they are called

However if you can get every parent to sign up.. just takes one of them not to sign up and the kids will get in via their kids
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How many 12 year olds are trying to promote their business?

This is the start of trying to eliminate or at least limit the social media use in children- many of whom commit suicide for the stuff they see and get fed from these platforms , anorexia , bullying, mental health all is happening to under 16’s because of social media platforms - Australia should be applauded for taking this giant first step.

Sounds like you want governments to shrug their shoulders and not do anything, shameful.
 
BlueHammer85 said:
How many 12 year olds are trying to promote their business?

This is the start of trying to eliminate or at least limit the social media use in children- many of whom commit suicide for the stuff they see and get fed from these platforms , anorexia , bullying, mental health all is happening to under 16’s because of social media platforms - Australia should be applauded for taking this giant first step.

Sounds like you want governments to shrug their shoulders and not do anything, shameful.
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"Sounds like you want governments to shrug their shoulders and not do anything, shameful"

Always the government's fault , what happened to people taking care of things themselves in this case the Parents.

When I was a kid in the 70s the thing all kids wanted was a portable tv in the bedroom to watch tv at night, my parents refused, said too much TV was no good for me, I was pissed at the time but my word looking back I thank them so much for doing so.

Parents should be role models, sadly a lot of parents don't care and don't know what their kids are up to.
 
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