Meta and other social media companies criticize Australia’s teenage social media ban – Firstpost

The Australian government’s ban on social media for teenagers has sparked outrage not only among users, but also among technology companies, including Meta, which has accused the administration of passing the law without taking into account the opinions of young people.

Legislation approved by parliament on Thursday would require social media companies to take “reasonable measures” to prevent young teenagers from having accounts. It should enter into force in a year.

“We are concerned about a process that has rushed through the legislation without taking into account the evidence, what the industry is already doing to ensure age-appropriate experiences and the voices of young people,” a Meta spokesman said.

Meanwhile, most tech giants have said they will comply with the ban, with the government facing fines of up to $50 million if they don’t.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese believes sites like Facebook, Instagram and X will lead to “better outcomes and less harm for young Australians”.

Other tech companies are responding

Other social media companies have joined Meta’s cohort in criticizing the ban.

A spokesperson for Snapchat said the company had “serious concerns” about the law, and that there were “many unanswered questions” about how it would work.

But the company said it will work closely with the government to develop an approach that balances “privacy, security and practicality”.

TikTok said it was “disappointed” by the law, accusing the government of ignoring mental health, internet safety and youth experts who opposed the ban.

“It is likely that the ban will result in young people being pushed into the dark corners of the internet, where there are no community rules, safety or protection tools,” said a TikTok spokesperson.

“The ban will push children to unregulated online spaces”

Meanwhile, the UN and UNICEF Australia have expressed concern about the ban and said it would do more harm than good to young people.

“This ban risks pushing children into increasingly secretive and unregulated online spaces, and preventing them from accessing aspects of the online world that are essential to their well-being,” UNICEF Australia policy director Cathy Maskiell said.

According to AFP