Australia's Lower House Passes Bill that Would Ban Kids from Social Media

[Herman]

Australia's House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media, leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law.

The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts.

The legislation passed 102 to 13. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced.

[Shen Li]

Australia's House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media, leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law.

The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts.

The legislation passed 102 to 13. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced.

Good move. English language social media makes(keeps) youth stupid.

[Frood]

 

[Prof Emeritus at Fawk U]

Bravo, Australia.

[Frood]

The upper house just passed it (liberals and labour parties alike so like the Dems and Repubs in the US agreeing on a piece of legislature).

It comes into law sometime in 2026.

They promised to not force a digital ID but the wording is a workaround to bring in biometric/digital ID since there's really no way to prove age unless there is some government digital ID.

I'm going to abuse the fuck out of politicians with my free speech even more so than I've already done...until they come for me or cut me off, then I'll hit the pavement and abuse the fuck out of them more.

[DKG]

Australia's House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media, leaving it to the Senate to finalize the world-first law.

The major parties backed the bill that would make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts.

The legislation passed 102 to 13. If the bill becomes law this week, the platforms would have one year to work out how to implement the age restrictions before the penalties are enforced.

It sounds like something parents would support. The devil will be in the details. sounds like something parents would support

[Oliver the Second]

Waste of time. No matter what they do kids would find a hack around it.

[Lokmar]

Australia is a shitbag authoritarian country. How about you PARENTS raise your fukin kids?

[formosan]

Waste of time. No matter what they do kids would find a hack around it.

It would make it more difficult to access though Oliver.

[Oliver the Second]

It would make it more difficult to access though Oliver.

Which would just make the forbidden fruit all the more mysterious and appealing. Kids would start hacking it just for bragging rights.

[Herman]

Which would just make the forbidden fruit all the more mysterious and appealing. Kids would start hacking it just for bragging rights.

Some countries do a good job of restricting shit.