Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is concerned the federal government is “rushing” to implement age restrictions on social media.
Legislation to ban children under 16 from platforms, including Snapchat, TikTok and X, was introduced in parliament on Thursday.
Meta said it is committed to creating safe online experiences for young people and will respect any age limits introduced by the government.
“We've already invested significantly in understanding age and ensuring age-appropriate experiences on our apps, including the recent introduction of Instagram Teen Accounts,” a Meta spokesperson told AdNews.
“Any new laws aimed at protecting children and teens online should empower parents and be consistently applied across all apps that young people commonly use, including YouTube and online gaming.”
Meta wants parents to have a say in their teens’ online lives and has raised concerns about the reliability of age assurance technologies.
“We are concerned the government is rushing this legislation without adequate consultation or evidence and there are still many unknowns with respect to its implementation,” a Meta spokesperson said.
“The legislation as drafted seems out of step with available research and expert opinions, including those from within the government, academia, industry, mental health organisations, and Australian parents and young people.
“The Government’s approach will likely require each app provider to collect personal identification or biometric data from all Australians in order to prevent under 16s from accessing their services, an inefficient and burdensome process for everyone.
“Parents need clear, efficient ways to oversee the many apps their children use, and that's why we've proposed legislation that requires parental approval and age verification at the operating system and app store level, which reduces the burden and minimises the amount of sensitive information shared.”
The Online Safety Amendment Bill 2024 places the onus on social media platforms to protect young people during critical stages of their development by preventing them from having accounts.
The bill will ensure young Australians have continued access to messaging and online gaming, as well as access to services which are health and education related, such as Headspace, Kids Helpline, and Google Classroom and YouTube.
Communications minister Michelle Rowland said digital platforms will face fines of up to $49.5 million for systemic breaches.
“The Albanese Government is continuing to act on its commitment to keep children safe online,” she said.
“This legislation will go a long way to providing that support and creating a new normal in the community around what age is okay to use social media.
“Platforms have a responsibility to provide safe products and look after the mental health of young Australians.”
The national ban will come into effect 12 months after being passed.
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