Australians engaging with various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, X, and others should verify that they are over 16 years old ahead of the upcoming social media ban set to commence in early December.
Beginning December 10th, new regulations will come into effect for platforms defined by the government as “age-restricted social media platforms.” These platforms are intended primarily for social interactions involving two or more users, enabling users to share content on the service.
The government has not specified which platforms are included in the ban, implying that any site fitting the above criteria may be affected unless it qualifies for the exemptions announced on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted that platforms covered by these rules include, but aren’t limited to, Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat, and YouTube.
Communications Minister Annika Wells indicated that platforms are anticipated to disable accounts for users under 16 and implement reasonable measures to prevent younger individuals from creating new accounts, verifying their age, and bypassing established restrictions.
What is an Exemption?
According to the government, a platform will be exempt if it serves a primary purpose other than social interaction.
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Messaging, email, voice, or video calling.
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Playing online games.
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Sharing information about products or services.
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Professional networking or development.
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Education.
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Health.
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Communication between educational institutions and students or their families.
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Facilitating communication between healthcare providers and their service users.
Determinations regarding which platforms meet the exemption criteria will be made by the eSafety Commissioner.
In practice, this suggests that platforms such as LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Roblox, and Coursera may qualify for exemptions if assessed accordingly. LinkedIn previously asserted that the government’s focus is not on children.
Hypothetically, platforms like YouTube Kids could be exempt from the ban if they satisfy the exemption criteria, particularly as comments are disabled on those videos. Nonetheless, the government has yet to provide confirmation, and YouTube has not indicated if it intends to seek exemptions for child-focused services.
What About Other Platforms?
Platforms not named by the government and that do not meet the exemption criteria should consider implementing age verification mechanisms by December. This includes services like Bluesky, Donald Trump’s Truth Social, Discord, and Twitch.
How Will Tech Companies Verify Users Are Over 16?
A common misunderstanding regarding the social media ban is that it solely pertains to children. To ensure that teenagers are kept from social media, platforms must verify the age of all user accounts in Australia.
There are no specific requirements for how verification should be conducted, but updates from the Age Assurance Technology Trial will provide guidance.
The government has mandated that identity checks can be one form of age verification but is not the only method accepted.
Australia is likely to adopt an approach for age verification comparable to that of the UK, initiated in July. This could include options such as:
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Requiring users to be 18 years of age or older to allow banks and mobile providers access to their users.
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Requesting users to upload a photo to match with their ID.
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Employing facial age estimation techniques.
Moreover, platforms may estimate a user’s age based on account behavior or the age itself. For instance, if an individual registered on Facebook in 2009, they are now over 16. YouTube has also indicated plans to utilize artificial intelligence for age verification.
Will Kids Find Workarounds?
Albanese likened the social media ban to alcohol restrictions, acknowledging that while some children may circumvent the ban, he affirmed that it is still a worthwhile endeavor.
In the UK, where age verification requirements for accessing adult websites were implemented this week, there has been a spike in the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) that conceal users’ actual locations, granting access to blocked sites.
Four of the top five free apps in the UK Apple App Store on Thursday were VPN applications, with the most widely used one, Proton, reporting an 1,800% increase in downloads.
The Australian government expects platforms to implement “reasonable measures” to address how teenagers attempt to evade the ban.
What Happens If a Site Does Not Comply With the Ban?
Platforms failing to implement what eSafety members deem “reasonable measures” to prevent children from accessing their services may incur fines of up to $49.5 million, as determined in federal court.
The definition of “reasonable measures” will be assessed by committee members. When asked on Wednesday, Wells stated, “I believe a reasonable step is relative.”
“These guidelines are meant to work, and any mistakes should be rectified. They aren’t absolute settings or rules, but frameworks to guide the process globally.”
Source: www.theguardian.com
