No Penalties, But What If Teens Circumvent the Ban? Side Effects? ... Australia’s Youth SNS Ban Draws Global Attention

Australia Implements First Nationwide SNS Access Ban
Debate Over Effectiveness and Controversy Ahead of Social Media Prohibition Law

Starting today, Australia is imposing a complete ban on social networking service (SNS) account usage for youths under the age of 16. As this is the first case where a country restricts SNS access itself for the purpose of protecting young people, countries around the world are closely watching Australia's move. Under this measure, platforms that fail to block account creation and logins by users under 16 may face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (approximately 48.5 billion won). The initial targets are ten major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, but there will be no direct penalties for users or their parents.

Australia is imposing a complete ban on social networking service (SNS) account usage for youths under the age of 16 starting today. As this is the first case where a country restricts SNS access itself for the purpose of protecting young people, countries around the world are closely watching Australia's move. Pixabay

The Australian government explained that by blocking account ownership, it can protect teenagers from addictive features such as algorithms and push notifications. The online safety regulator, eSafety, also emphasized, "Teenagers are more easily exposed to overwhelming pressures and risks when logged in." It further pointed out, "These risks stem from the way platforms are designed, increasing the time spent in front of screens and raising the likelihood of encountering content that causes anxiety or negative emotions."

Spread of Regulation in Denmark, New Zealand, etc... Social Media Industry Expresses Concerns About Negative Effects of Teen Disconnection

There are also debates about the effectiveness of the policy. Since Australia does not have a resident registration system, it must estimate age using AI-based facial recognition, voice, and location data analysis. Authorities have acknowledged that this process could mistakenly block users who are actually over 16. Conversely, there are concerns that some teenagers may circumvent age restrictions, similar to how some bypass alcohol and tobacco regulations.

As Australia enforces a complete ban on social media for teenagers starting from the 10th, several countries are rushing to implement similar regulations, taking Australia's example. Pixabay

Meanwhile, several countries are rushing to implement similar regulations by referring to Australia's case. Denmark is preparing a bill to ban SNS use for those under 15, while Malaysia and New Zealand are also considering blocking accounts for users under 16. Spain has banned SNS use for those under 16 without parental consent. In addition, countries such as Norway, Singapore, and Indonesia are also showing interest in adopting similar measures after observing Australia's example.

Last month, the European Parliament passed a resolution at the European Union (EU) level to allow access to social media and AI chatbots only for those aged 16 and over, regardless of parental consent. In this regard, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, stated around September, "I was inspired by Australia's pioneering social media policy," implying the possibility of EU-wide regulations.

Social media companies subject to the regulations have expressed critical views but have said they will comply with legal requirements. Meta stated in a release that it will comply with Australian law, but criticized, "While we agree on the need to create a safe online environment by age, cutting teenagers off from friends and communities is not the solution." YouTube also argued, "This law will not make children safer and could actually increase risks," but announced that it will block logins for users under 16 starting from the 10th in accordance with the law.