Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has said it will comply with any new laws banning under 16s from social media but is concerned about how this is implemented.
The federal government plans a national law making social media platforms responsible for enforcing the ban.
Meta said it will comply if required but has raised concerns about the reliability of age assurance technologies.
“We respect any age limitations the government wants to introduce for social media use,” Meta's global vice president of safety, Antigone Davis, said.
“What’s missing is a deeper discussion on how we implement protections, otherwise we risk making ourselves feel better, like we have taken action, but teens and parents will not find themselves in a better place.
“The research shows parents want to be involved in their teens’ online lives and want to have a say in determining what’s appropriate for their individual teens.
“We strongly believe parental approval and age verification at the operating system and app store level will provide a simple and effective solution, while also reducing the burden and privacy risk for parents and teens.”
Ipsos Public Affairs Australia, in a survey commissioned by Meta, found four in five (82%) Australian parents with children under the age of 18 support a law requiring parental approval for children under age 16 to download apps.
However, parents surveyed believe app stores are easier and more secure places than apps for giving parental approval
Three quarters (75%) of parents surveyed trust app stores over apps to securely handle the personal data needed to verify parental approval.
Communications minister Michelle Rowland said there will be penalties for the platforms to ensure compliance.
“The fact is that social media has a social responsibility, but the platforms are falling short,” she said.
“These platforms understand their habits, their capabilities, what sort of content should be driven to them and what their behaviours are. So in this year that we will take in terms of implementation, that will be the key focus.”
The proposed law will be presented to a virtual sitting of the national cabinet today.
The national ban will come into effect 12 months after being passed.
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