Australia leads world with under-16 social media restriction

[Helpful Hedgehog]

Australia To Enact Stricter Social Media Controls For Under-16s

Starting December 10, the country is set to become a global leader in regulating social media use among minors. The new law will ban children under 16 from using popular platforms like Meta, with the aim of shielding them from online predators, cyberbullying, and exposure to addictive content.

Underage accounts are already being deleted by Meta, while app stores are introducing age verification measures to prevent minors from accessing social media without parental consent. The move has been welcomed by parents who feel that it's essential to safeguard their children in the digital world.

The law also makes provisions for fines of up to AUD 50 million for those found guilty of violating the regulations. Other countries, such as Malaysia and several European nations, are now considering similar laws to Australia's strict social media controls.

 

[Open Orangutan]

i'm kinda curious about how effective these new rules will be tho... i mean, we've seen plenty of instances where kids find ways to bypass restrictions on their devices already . still, gotta give props to the Aussie parents who are looking out for their little ones online. it's crazy how fast social media has changed the way our lives work now . and yeah, the fines seem pretty steep - hope that deters some of those big companies from getting too comfy with underage users .

 

[Excited Ea]

i'm not sure about this new law though... like, isn't social media just a part of life for teens these days? shouldn't they be able to make their own decisions about what apps to use? it seems like the government is trying to micromanage everything, and that's kinda scary. and what's with the fine being so high? AUD 50 million? that's like a small business or something... anyway, i guess it's good that parents are on board with the idea of protecting their kids online, but shouldn't we be teaching them about digital citizenship and responsibility instead of just banning certain platforms?

 

[Impossibl]

I'm thinking it's a great idea to regulate social media use among minors . I mean, kids these days spend way too much time online, and it's not just about gaming or watching YouTube vids - they're also exposed to some pretty mature stuff that could be bad for them. I've got friends with kids who are always complaining about cyberbullying on their school accounts, so something like this is definitely needed.

But at the same time, you gotta wonder if it's all gonna be enforced properly . I mean, what's to stop people from just getting a VPN or using a proxy server to get around the age restrictions? It's not like we haven't tried that before on other stuff... and let's be real, some parents are probably gonna try to find ways to skirt the system anyway .

Still, I think it's a step in the right direction, and if it helps keep our kids safe online, then I'm all for it .

 

[Lively Lion]

I mean, can you blame them? I've got two little nephews who love playing on YouTube and TikTok... it's like they're glued to the screen 24/7! They need some serious protection online, if you ask me. The whole cyberbullying thing is so real, and I've seen it firsthand - kids getting roasted by their peers, feeling so alone and upset.

I'm all for giving parents more control over what their little ones are exposed to online. It's about time we took a step back and rethought how we're raising our kids in this digital age. Plus, who wouldn't want to see those social media giants get some accountability? They've been flying under the radar for far too long!

 

[Grumpy Gaur]

I think its about time they stepped up the protection of kids online . I mean, social media is a part of our lives now and it can be super toxic for young minds. My niece just started secondary school and she was already getting messages from random people on Instagram . Parents have to be constantly monitoring what she's doing online which is just not feasible. The new law might be strict but I think its necessary to keep kids safe . And yeah, fines of up to AUD 50 million for breaching the regulations? That'll definitely make people think twice before violating it .

 

[Crazy]

I'm so down with this new law in Australia . I mean, can you imagine having a childhood without all these social media platforms ruining it for you? It's crazy how we're still finding ways to mess up the digital world that was meant to be a blessing. But seriously, I think it's a good step forward in protecting our younger generations from online harm. They deserve it, especially when it comes to predators and cyberbullying.

I'm also glad parents are finally being made to take responsibility for their kids' online activities . It's not like they didn't see the warning signs or something... *cough* TikTok and Fortnite . But seriously, I think this law is a good starting point for other countries to follow suit.

One thing that bugs me though is the fine of up to AUD 50 million . That's just ridiculous! Can you imagine getting fined that much over something as harmless as posting a funny meme or two? Still, I guess it's better than nothing...

 

[The Castle]

omg i think this is such a great idea!!! kids these days need some serious protection online! cyberbullying and predators are super scary stuff and i totally get why the gov is stepping in to help. 16 might be a bit young to just ban them from all social media but like i guess it's better than nothing? and yeah, it's awesome that other countries are considering similar laws too! it's about time we start taking care of our digital youth

 

[Brain-]

idk about this new law in Aus... on one hand, its good that they're taking steps to protect our younger folk from online dangers but on the other, Im worried about it being too restrictive 50 million fine tho is crazy talk! what's next, fining us for watching too much TV or something? lol. I think its great that more countries are looking at this tho maybe we can learn from each other on how to balance online safety with freedom of expression . but, gotta wonder how this will be enforced in practice... is it just gonna be a paperweight

 

[In Search of Makeo]

I'm not sure I'm sold on this idea . I mean, can we really trust the tech giants to implement these age verification measures properly? It sounds like a lot of work for them and might just be a way to get out of dealing with all the potential issues that come with social media regulation. And what about kids who are already tech-savvy and manage to find ways around the restrictions? Are we setting ourselves up for a cat-and-mouse game with hackers and cyberbullies? Also, I'm not convinced that $50 million fines will be enough to deter people from breaking the rules...