Australia's ground-breaking social media age ban passes House vote

Australia's House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a landmark bill prohibiting children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, as per reports.

The bill now awaits Senate approval, where it is expected to pass with bipartisan support.

The legislation, which targets platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Reddit, and X, imposes stringent penalties of up to 50 million Australian Dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to enforce the age restrictions.

Passed with an overwhelming majority of 102 votes to 13, the bill grants platforms a one-year grace period to develop compliance measures before penalties are enforced.

Platforms will also be restricted from requiring government-issued ID for verification, following amendments pushed by opposition lawmakers.

Digital identity verification through government systems has been prohibited, a move intended to address privacy concerns raised during debates.

The bill resonates deeply with advocates like Wayne Holdsworth, a Melbourne resident whose 17-year-old son, Mac, took his own life after falling victim to an online sextortion scam.

Despite the urgency, social media platforms had sought to delay the legislation until at least June next year, coinciding with the release of a government-commissioned evaluation of age verification technologies.

Earlier this month, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a social media ban for kids under 16.

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