The Australian Senate passed a bill yesterday that would ban all under-16s from using social media sites. The bill will now be tabled in the Senate today after passing the House of Representatives just yesterday with the support of the government and the opposition.
The bill will come into effect a year from now, making Australia the country with the strictest ban on social media use by teenagers in the world. Use is still prohibited even if they have the permission of their parents or guardians.
Social media platforms that allow underage users could be fined AUD 50 million (~RM 144 million) if they fail to introduce an age verification system. A one-year period has been given to allow social media platform operators to prepare. A system using an identity card with a biometric scan is among those being tested to see if it can be used or not.
Representatives of technology companies have already commented that they need more time to introduce an age verification system and have asked the government to refine it to avoid any confusion.
This week TikTok said it would introduce an AI-based identity verification system and ban the use of face-enhancing filters for users under 18.
Is it fair to ban social media? Is it true that social media is like alcohol and tobacco products that should only be given to adults?