According to Tech Digest, Australia has expanded its groundbreaking social media ban for children under 16 to include Reddit and live-streaming platform Kick, bringing the total number of restricted platforms to nine. The legislation takes effect on December 10th and targets platforms whose “sole or significant purpose is online social interaction.” Tech companies now face potential fines of up to A$50 million ($32.5 million) if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-16 accounts. Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant both emphasized protecting children from “harmful and deceptive design features” and “opaque algorithms.” The ban specifically excludes messaging services like WhatsApp and gaming platforms like Roblox, though the government notes the list remains dynamic.
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The Age Verification Problem
Here’s the thing about banning kids from social media – it sounds great in theory, but the implementation is a nightmare. The government says companies won’t be forced to use official ID, which means we’re looking at a patchwork of facial recognition, parental approval systems, and who knows what else. And let’s be honest, how accurate are these age verification tools anyway? We’ve seen countless examples of flawed systems that either block legitimate users or fail to catch the people they’re supposed to stop.
What About Data Risks?
So companies might use facial recognition to verify ages. That should make everyone nervous. We’re talking about collecting biometric data from children, which creates a whole new set of privacy risks. Critics are right to be concerned – once this data is collected, where does it go? How is it stored? And what happens when (not if) there’s a breach? It feels like we’re solving one problem by creating potentially bigger ones.
The Platform Pick and Choose
Now here’s what I find interesting – the ban specifically excludes messaging apps and gaming platforms. But anyone who’s been online knows that Discord servers and Roblox games can be just as socially intensive as traditional social media. The government says these platforms have a “different primary purpose,” but that distinction seems pretty arbitrary. Basically, they’re drawing lines in the sand that might not reflect how people actually use these services.
Watch This Space
Australia is essentially running a massive experiment that other countries are watching closely. If this works, we could see similar bans popping up everywhere. But if it fails – either through poor enforcement or creating new problems – it could set back child online safety efforts for years. The real test will come after December 10th when we see how platforms actually implement these requirements and whether they can do it without creating a privacy nightmare or blocking legitimate users.
