Australian premier lays responsibility on social media platforms for safety of kids

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Friday laid responsibility on social media platforms for the "safety of the kids," after the government passed laws to ban children under the age of 16 from using online networking.

Social media platforms now have a "social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them," Albanese told a news conference in Canberra according to his office.

In a milestone decision, Australia's Senate Thursday passed laws -- Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 -- to ban children and teenagers from using social media, in the first such decision by any government in the world.

When the laws take effect at the end of next year, children under the age of 16 will be blocked from using platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, and X.

However, under the new laws, social media companies will not be able to force users to provide government identification, including digital IDs, to assess their age.

"Platforms must offer reasonable alternatives to users," according to the Albanese government.

On Wednesday, the legislation, passed by the lower house of the Parliament also proposes hefty fines of up to AU$49.5 million ($32 million) for platforms that do not comply.

While 34 senators voted in favor, 19 opposed it. The House of Representatives, however, overwhelmingly approved the legislation with 102 votes in favor and just 13 lawmakers opposing the ban.

The new laws, however, enable continued access to messaging, online gaming, and services and apps that are primarily for education and health support, like Headspace, Kids Helpline, Google Classroom, and YouTube.

Stressing that the new legislation aims to keep "kids safe online," Albanese said: "We want our kids to have a childhood and parents to know we have their backs."