Social media ban for under-16s in Australia

Australia is preparing to implement a first-of-its-kind social media ban. Both large and small technology platforms are working on technical adjustments to remove users under the age of 16 in Australia from their platforms and prevent them from opening new accounts.

Starting December 10, platforms identified by the Australian government as being subject to the ban will deactivate the accounts of all users under the age of 16.

The eSafety Commissioner, an Australian government agency that works on user safety in the online environment, will be able to impose fines of up to approximately 50 million dollars on platforms if it is not convinced that they have taken "reasonable steps" to prevent young people under 16 from having accounts.

WHICH APPLICATIONS ARE COVERED BY THE BAN

Applications that will be closed to access by users under 16 under the law include Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick. It was stated that YouTube Kids, which is specifically designed for children's use, Google Classroom, which is used for educational activities, and professional platforms like LinkedIn will be exempt from this ban.

In a statement made by the government, it was conveyed that changes could occur in the platforms subject to the ban and that new platforms could be included in this list. Services deemed to have a sufficiently large user base in Australia may be asked to conduct their own assessments and request clarification from eSafety, allowing the list to be expanded over time.

Facebook and Instagram are offering young people the option to download all their photos and messages and suspend their accounts until they turn 16, as well as the option to delete their accounts entirely. TikTok announced that it would offer users the option to deactivate or delete their accounts and that they would be able to archive their existing content.

Snapchat also stated in its response to an Australian Senate inquiry last month that users could download their photos and messages, and that accounts would be deactivated and locked until the user proves they have turned 16. The company also announced that they are developing a "frozen account" feature so that children can reactivate them when they turn 16. Snapchat stated that this regulation would affect approximately 440 thousand users between the ages of 13 and 15 in Australia. Other platforms have not yet released a statement regarding what steps they will take concerning young user accounts.

Although YouTube announced that it would react to the ban decision by applying to the high court, it has not yet taken a step in this direction. The company also did not make a statement regarding whether it would comply with the ban.