Social Media Ban for Under-16s Looms
Australia’s Communications Minister, Anika Wells, is meeting with tech giants Meta, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok to discuss the upcoming social media ban for under-16s, set to take effect on December 10.
The meetings, attended by eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, aim to resolve implementation issues and address concerns over the strict digital age law, which imposes fines of up to $49.5 million on non-compliant companies.
“There’s a place for social media, but there’s not a place for predatory algorithms damaging children,”
said Wells, highlighting the government's concern for vulnerable teens. A separate meeting with Elon Musk’s X is scheduled for November.
The ban is expected to be one of the world’s strictest digital age laws, and tech giants are still pushing back against its implementation.
Autor's resume: Australia tightens social media laws.