The Senate of Australia has reportedly overwhelmingly voted in favor of severe new legislation, which will result in the country becoming the first to prohibit the use of social media by under-16-year-olds.
The ban, which is expected to be implemented within the next 12 months, has the potential to result in technology companies being fined up to 50 million Australian dollars, or approximately $32.5 million, if they do not implement measures to prevent minors from holding accounts.
Fines will not be imposed on parents or adolescents.
Advocates of the legislation, which is regarded as one of the most stringent in the world, anticipate that it will facilitate the process of preventing parents from removing their children from the platforms until they are more mature.
The measure was passed by the Senate of the country on Thursday with a vote of 34 to 19.
The legislation was adopted by the House of Representatives on Wednesday with a vote of 102 to 13.
The legislation is the most recent endeavor by political leaders worldwide to regulate the use of social media by children, in response to the pervasive apprehension regarding its detrimental effects on mental health.
The objective of a Florida law that is presently under legal challenge is to prohibit the use of social media by children under the age of 14 and to mandate parental consent for children between the ages of 14 and 15.
In certain regions, Australia’s proposal effectively aligns social media access with the legal age of consent, as well as a teenager’s capacity to register for military service or learn to drive.
An industry association that represents technology companies such as Snap, TikTok, and Meta Platforms—which owns Facebook and Instagram—has previously protested the ban.
The Digital Industry Group has advocated for a balanced approach to the development of age-appropriate spaces and has expressed privacy concerns.
The industry group has stated that Australia’s legislation would necessitate all Australians to submit personal information, including an identification card or a photograph of their visage, in order to verify their age.
The prospective administration of President-elect Donald Trump may conduct additional investigations regarding platform access.
Janette Nesheiwat, Trump’s nominee for surgeon general, expressed her support for Florida’s efforts to prohibit access to social media for minors earlier this year.
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