Major social media platforms, including Meta, Snap, and TikTok, have agreed to comply with Australia’s new law banning users under 16 years old. This move comes as these companies reluctantly accept the implementation of the world’s most stringent online child safety regulation.
According to a report by Reuters, these platforms will begin removing and deactivating over a million underage accounts once the law is enforced starting on December 10. Failure to prevent underage users could result in fines of up to $32.5 million for the tech firms.
Despite the efforts to enforce age restrictions, the process may not be foolproof. Australia is still grappling with various enforcement challenges, including defining the exact responsibilities of these platforms, as highlighted by AFP. Ensuring that all users under 16 are accurately identified and allowing them to download their data before account deactivation are key concerns.
Platforms are also expected to prevent underage users from creating new accounts through various means, such as using AI for fake IDs, deepfakes to bypass face scans, or virtual private networks (VPNs) to change their location. The regulator emphasized the need for easy reporting mechanisms to flag inappropriate underage access to social media.
Source: Ars Technica