Australian teens to lose social media access as new law changes everything
Australia just made it illegal for kids under 16 to use social-media platforms‚ with huge fines for tech companies who dont follow rules. The law starts next year after a trial-period in January
Australiaʼs parliament made a big-time move against social media companies forcing them to block under-16 users from their platforms (which includes apps like Instagram‚ Facebook and TikTok)
Anthony Albanese the prime minister said platforms need to step-up and make kids safety their main job: its not just about rules its about giving parents new ways to talk with their children. The law which passed on nov-29 will hit companies with fines up to A$49.5 million if they dont follow rules
We dont argue that its implementation will be perfect‚ just like the alcohol ban for under 18s doesnt mean that someone under 18 never has access but we know that its the right thing to do
The roll-out plan looks like this:
- Trial period starts in jan-2025
- Companies must create age checks
- Full ban takes effect late next year
- Tech giants need to stop under-16 logins
The fast-tracked bill got some push-back from social-media companies who say it didnt get enough review time — but Albanese thinks sending a clear message is more important than waiting. The PM says this law which is one of the worlds toughest against big-tech companies shows Australiaʼs strong stand on protecting young people online
