The landmark Social Media Minimum Age bill sets Australia up as a test case for a growing number of governments.Australian lawmakers approved a bill on Thursday banning social media for children under 16.

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It requires social media platforms like Meta, X, and TikTok to take "reasonable steps" to prevent young teens from having creating accounts. They could be fined up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (€30.5 million; $32 million) if they fail to comply.

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The legislation passed parliament's lower chamber on Wednesday and passed the Senate late on Thursday evening.

A trial of methods to enforce the measure will start in January with the ban to take effect in a year.

Critics warn the law hard to implement

Australia's major parties all supported the bill, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying young Australians should be "off their phones and onto the footy and cricket field, the tennis and netball courts, in the swimming pool."

However, some, including Green Party senator Sarah Hanson-Young blasted the bill, saying it "is boomers trying to tell young people how the internet should work."

"It's also obvious that the people who have drafted and fought for the particular elements of this Bill actually have no idea how young people engage with the internet," she added.

Sunita Bose, managing director of the digital industry body DIGI, said more details on how the rules will be enforced need to be provided.

"We have the bill but we don't have guidance from the Australian government around what are the right methods that a whole host of services subject to this law will need to employ."

Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued ID or digital identification through a government system. Underage users and their parents will not be punished for any violations.

This is a developing news story, more to follow....

lo/nm (Reuters, AFP, AP)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 28, 2024 07:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).