Australians reacted on Friday with a mixture of anger and relief to a social media ban on children aged younger than 16 that the government says is world-leading legislation.
Tech giants like TikTok, however, argue that the ban could push young people to “darker corners of the internet”.
The law obliges social media companies like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X to stop minors from logging in, or face fines of up to A$49.5m (R582.4m). A trial of enforcement methods will start in January, with the ban to take effect in a year.
“Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our children is a priority for them,” Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said on Friday.
Albanese has cited the risks to physical and mental health of children from excessive social media use.
Reaction to the ban was mixed. One view was that access to social media for children is not appropriate.
Another view is that the government has acted undemocratically.
Children interviewed have said they would try to find a way around the ban.
Some countries and US states have passed laws to restrict access for minors without a parent’s permission, but the Australian ban is absolute. A full under-14s ban in Florida is being challenged in court on free speech grounds.
Social media firms and some lawmakers say the bill lacked proper scrutiny. It passed through the lower house of parliament on Friday morning in a procedural hearing.
A spokesperson for TikTok expressed disappointment, saying that the government has ignored the advice of the mental health experts, online safety organisations, and youth.
“It’s entirely likely the ban could see young people pushed to darker corners of the internet where no community guidelines, safety tools, or protections exist”, according to TikTok.