Australian authorities approved a law that will prohibit adolescents under 16 years of age from using social networks from 2025 to protect minors from the harmful influences of the Internet. Online platforms will face multimillion-dollar fines for violations, Reuters reported.
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If the new rules are not followed, the social network could be fined up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (about $32 million). An age limit may be introduced for Facebook*, TikTok, Elon Musk's X and other online services.
It is still unknown how the age will be determined; At the last minute, an amendment was made to the law according to which Internet platforms must offer users an alternative to downloading identification documents.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese admitted that some children under 16 could evade the restriction, which is why he emphasized that the authorities first demand "reestablishing order" by the platforms themselves.
The law that restricts access to social networks among minors has caused a stir in the country, writes Reuters. According to the agency, several public organizations warned that the ban could violate the rights of adolescents, preventing them from participating in society.
Similar restrictions are also adopted in other countries. At the end of October, Norwegian authorities announced that they planned to ban children under 15 from using social media to “protect them from the power of algorithms.”
*Meta and its Facebook and Instagram members are recognized as extremist organizations whose activities are prohibited in the Russian Federation.
Author:
Bogdan Muzychenko
Source: RB
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
