The Government of Australia announced this Thursday that it seeks to limit access to social networks to minors 16 years with a legislative proposal to mitigate the problems of mental health of children and adolescents.
“Now, the age proposed by the Government is 16 years; that decision was made on Monday in the Council of Ministers,” announced this Thursday the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, at a press conference in Canberraand noted that once his proposal is approved, parents will be able to tell their children: “sorry buddy, (that) is against the law.”
“Social networks are harming our children and I am going to put an end to it,” Albanese emphasized, justifying his proposal with other legal measures such as laws that prohibit under 18 years old buy alcoholic beverages.
The bill could reach Parliament
The bill, which could reach Parliament in the coming weeks and would come into force 12 months after being approved, will not exclude minors under 16 years of age who already have accounts on social networks or those who have parental consent. The president clarified that no sanctions will be imposed for users or parents and that it will be the social networks themselves that will have the responsibility of enforcing the age limit.
Michelle Rowland: “The well-being of children is a collective responsibility”
In this sense, the Australian Electronic Safety Commission will be in charge of publishing regulations so that digital platforms and social networks establish “reasonable measures” to restrict access to minors. “What we are announcing and what we will legislate will truly be world-leading. The well-being of children is a collective responsibility“said the Minister of Communication, Michelle Rowlandin the same press conference.
It will be the platforms that will have to demonstrate that “they are taking measures to prevent access” by those under 16 years of age, Rowland added. It is unknown if they could be used biometric verification methodswhich would be more controversial, among others. The minister also specified that networks that do not obey the regulations would face penalties.
The social networks most affected by this proposal
The legislation could affect social networks as instagram, TikTok, Facebook, x and YouTubealthough exceptions are contemplated for platforms considered “low risk”. According to Rowland, the Australian Government has been in contact with affected companies during the development of the proposal. It is expected that companies like X, which have criticized other regulations on the use of social networks in the southern country, will refute this proposal.
With its plan, Australia echoes the global concerns that led to Spain to set the minimum age to access a social network in 14 yearsalthough it is expected to raise it to 16, given the risks against privacy, coercion, threats and computer scams.
In addition, Puerto Rico last July decreed the 18 years as the minimum age for a person to activate an account on any social network, a measure that is similar to that of Texas (United States), while in the American state of Florida The minimum age is 14.
In New York Two laws were passed: one to require parental consent for minors under 18 to use “addictive threads” based on recommendation algorithms, as well as another to limit the data collection juvenile.
#Australia #proposes #banning #access #social #networks #minors #years #age
