Australia is set to implement a groundbreaking social media ban targeting users under the age of 16, effective from December 10, 2023. This initiative aims to deactivate accounts for minors and prevent new sign-ups, marking a significant shift in the regulation of online platforms for young users. The Australian government has mandated that social media companies take substantial measures to comply with this new rule, with potential fines of up to $49.5 million for non-compliance.
Details of the Ban and Affected Platforms
The ban encompasses a range of popular platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and Reddit. These services must ensure that all existing accounts for users under 16 are deactivated and that any new accounts from this age group cannot be created. The list of affected platforms is dynamic; other services may be added if they attract younger users and pose similar concerns.
Exempt from the ban are platforms such as Roblox, YouTube Kids, Google Classroom, and professional networks like LinkedIn. According to Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety Commissioner, it will ultimately be up to each platform to assess whether they need to comply based on their user demographics.
Implementation of Age Verification
The specifics of age verification will be determined by each platform, although the government has stipulated that requesting identification cannot serve as the sole method of verification. For instance, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has not disclosed its age verification strategy to avoid potentially informing minors on how to bypass the ban.
Snapchat will rely on account behavior and user-provided birth dates, while TikTok plans to utilize a “multi-layered approach” that combines technology and human moderation to identify underage accounts. Other platforms have yet to announce their methods, adding uncertainty to how effectively the ban will be enforced.
Options for Affected Users
Users who are under 16 will have options regarding their accounts. For example, Facebook and Instagram will allow minors to download their data or place their accounts on hold until they turn 16. TikTok will similarly offer the choice to deactivate or delete accounts, with an option to archive existing content.
Snapchat has reported that it will lock accounts for users under 16, allowing them to reactivate once they reach the appropriate age. This is expected to affect around 440,000 users in Australia aged between 13 and 15.
Appeal Process for Misidentified Users
Individuals over 16 who are mistakenly identified as underage will have an appeals process available. On Meta platforms, users can use facial recognition technology or provide government-issued IDs to verify their age. Snapchat has indicated that users can appeal through bank card checks or government IDs, while TikTok will offer multiple methods, including facial age estimation.
As of now, platforms like YouTube and Kick have not clarified their appeals processes, leading to further questions about how these appeals will function in practice.
Potential Delays and Compliance Expectations
The implementation of the ban has faced challenges, including a high court challenge from NSW Libertarian MP John Ruddick, who argues it infringes on freedom of political communication. A parliamentary committee has also recommended a six-month delay; however, the government remains committed to the original launch date.
While compliance from major platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat appears assured, the government has cautioned that the ban is unlikely to be perfect from day one. Inman Grant has acknowledged that not all underage accounts will vanish immediately and that enforcement will be a gradual process, focusing initially on platforms with the highest proportion of underage users.
As Australia prepares to become the first country to enforce such a ban, it will be closely watched by other nations considering similar measures in the ongoing effort to protect children online.
