Australia intends to establish a minimum age requirement for children to access social media, citing concerns regarding their mental and physical health.
This decision by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has enraged digital rights advocates, who are concerned that the measure could result in the under-grounding of hazardous online activities.
According to Reuters, Albanese’s government will conduct an age verification trial prior to enacting age minimum laws for social media services this year. He did not provide a specific age, but he indicated that it would likely fall within the range of 14 to 16.
He said, “I am interested in seeing children emerge from their devices and onto the tennis courts, swimming pools, and football fields. We want them to have real experiences with real people because we know that social media is causing social harm.”
The legislation would establish Australia as one of the first nations to implement an age restriction on social media. Attempts to reduce the online rights of juveniles have been unsuccessful in the past, including those made by the European Union, as a result of complaints.
Facebook and Instagram
Meta Inc, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram, has established a self-imposed minimum age of 13. The company’s objective is to provide parents with the necessary tools to assist their children in utilising its platforms, rather than simply restricting their access.
According to data from the technology industry, Australia has one of the most online populations in the world, with four-fifths of its 26 million residents using social media. According to a 2023 study conducted by the University of Sydney, YouTube or Instagram were utilised by three-quarters of Australians between the ages of 12 and 17.
Against the backdrop of a parliamentary inquiry into the impact of social media on society, Albanese announced the age restriction plan. The inquiry has heard sometimes emotional testimony regarding the negative mental health effects of social media on adolescents.
However, the inquiry has also received inquiries regarding the feasibility of enforcing a lower age limit and, if so, whether it would inadvertently incite younger individuals to conceal their online activities.
Australia’s approach to online offences
Daniel Angus, director of the Digital Media Research Centre at Queensland University of Technology, stated that this has the potential to cause significant harm by excluding young people from meaningful, healthy participation in the digital world, potentially leading them to lower-quality online spaces.
In a June submission to the inquiry, the eSafety Commissioner, Australia’s own internet regulator, cautioned that “restriction-based approaches may limit young people’s access to critical support” and drive them to “less regulated non-mainstream services.”
On Tuesday, the eSafety commissioner issued a statement indicating that it would persist in its collaboration with stakeholders from different sectors of the government and the community to further refine Australia’s approach to online offences that can pose a threat to safety across a variety of platforms at any age, including those before and after the mid-teen years.
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