After a marathon day, the Australian Senate has given the green light to a pioneering law to prohibit access to social networks by minors under 16 years of age and that contemplates fines of up to $32.5 million for platforms that infringe it. In the focus of this standard: Facebook, Instagram or TikTok.
The Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, recalled that “There will be very strict privacy requirements to protect citizens’ personal information.” For its part, Greens senator Sara Hanson-Young believes the law falls short and calls it “garbage.”
Pioneering law in the world
More and more governments are planning to legislate in this regard. France has already done it and some US states have restricted access to networks for minors under 16 years of age without parental permission, but the Australian ban is absolute. They will not be able to open a profile even with the authorization of their parents.
Enie Lam, a 16-year-old Australian user, acknowledges that she and her friends are aware that social networks are not good for them, although she assures that it is difficult to leave them because they are deeply rooted in society. “The ban on social media in general makes many young people strongly oppose it,” he adds.
The ban on social networks for minors under 16 years of age has been highly criticized by the opposition and privacy defenders, but the truth is that according to the latest surveys 77% of Australians support the measure which today has been ratified in the Senate.
The approval of this bill marks a political victory for the center-left prime minister, Anthony Albanesewhich will run for election in 2025.
