The Australian government is facing pushback from major tech companies regarding a proposed bill aimed at restricting children's access to social media. Google and Meta Platforms are advocating for a delay in the legislation, arguing that further evaluation is necessary to understand its implications for young users.
The bill, which seeks to impose some of the strictest regulations on social media usage by children under 16 globally, has been prioritized by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's administration, with a goal to enact it by the end of the current parliamentary session. Introduced last week, the bill allowed for a mere day of public feedback.
In their feedback, both Google and Meta emphasized the necessity to anticipate the results from an ongoing age-verification trial. This system could potentially utilize biometrics or official identification to enforce an age barrier for social media usage.
Meta expressed concerns, stating that without these results, both the industry and Australian citizens would lack clarity on the necessary age-verification requirements and their implications. They indicated that the current version of the bill is flawed and ineffective.
The proposed legislation places the onus on social media platforms to implement reliable age-verification processes, rather than on parents or minors. Companies failing to comply could face fines reaching A$49.5 million (approximately $32 million or around Rs. 270 crore) for serious violations.
While the opposition Liberal party is likely to support the legislation, several independent legislators have voiced their objections the government for pushing the process through in an expedited manner. A Senate committee charged with examining communications legislation is set to release its findings soon.
ByteDance's TikTok entered the conversation by highlighting a lack of clarity in the proposal and expressing significant worries about moving forward without comprehensive discussions with specialists, social media companies, mental health advocates, and the youth affected by such laws.
Elon Musk's X platform raised alarms that the bill could infringe upon the rights of children and young individuals, particularly concerning their freedom of communication and availability of data. Musk, a staunch advocate for free speech, recently criticized the Australian government, suggesting that the bill acts as an undercover approach to managing online connectivity.