Australia’s Senate advances law banning minors under 16 from social media

Australia’s Senate passed an online safety bill on Thursday barring minors under the age of 16 from having social media accounts. The Senate returned a 34-19 vote after the House of Representatives gave an overwhelming 102-13 vote of approval on Wednesday. Social media companies now have about a year to set protocols barring users under 16 from having accounts or face a fine of up to $33 million. The law will apply to platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram.

This law is about supporting parents and making sure media companies take their social responsibility seriously, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wrote Tuesday. Young Australians have not mentally developed enough to ignore online hate or spot fake content, he said. The world has seen disturbing mental health impacts in children since the rise of social media, Sen. Sarah Henderson said before the Thursday vote. A government poll released Tuesday found that over 75% of Australians supported the age limit.

What arguments did opposing legislators make? Sen. Sarah Hanson-Young slammed the bill before its Thursday passage, claiming it had no substance and only offered the appearance of safety. She characterized the bill as embarrassing, saying it was merely an example oft baby boomers trying to tell young people how the internet should function. This law won’t help people already addicted to social media algorithms or people who struggle to make social connections because of that addiction, she said. Sen. David Shoebridge made a similar argument against the law’s passage, alleging that barring minors who identify as LGBTQ from social media would leave them dangerously isolated and cut off from others like themselves.

What’s next? The measure will briefly return to the House for representatives to approve several minor amendments proposed by the Senate. That procedure is a formality, according to the Associated Press, since the government has already agreed that they will pass. The amendments would offer more protection for user privacy by establishing that platforms may not compel users to give government-issued documents for identification. After that, Australian Governor-General Sam Mostyn must give final approval to the legislation and formally sign it into law.