Australian Senate approves social media ban on under-16s
Source: BBC
Australia will ban children under 16 from using social media, after its Senate approved the world's strictest laws.
The ban - which will not take effect for at least 12 months - could see tech companies fined up to A$50m ($32.5m; £25.7m) if they don't comply.
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The legislation does not specify which platforms will be banned. Those decisions will be made later by Australia’s communications minister, who will seek advice from the eSafety Commissioner - an internet regulator that will enforce the rules.
Gaming and messaging platforms are exempt, as are sites that can be accessed without an account, meaning YouTube, for instance, is likely to be spared.
Read more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c89vjj0lxx9o
It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. All the social media platforms could live without Australia as a market, but there are murmurings in other markets too (eg UK) and if this starts a trend, they may have to submit to proper age verification.
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... a 16-year-old is where I'd go to HELP navigate a social media site - even a 12-year old knows better than most, and they know how to get on the sites. Better ideas - try to regulate for users under 18... and , most importantly, tell them it's FREE and they will see their parents and grandparents posting there!
