Meta urges Australia to rethink its under-16 social media ban
What's the story
Meta, the tech giant led by billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, has called on the Australian government to reconsider its world-first ban on social media accounts for users under 16. The appeal comes as Meta reports having blocked over 544,000 accounts in compliance with the new law. The legislation mandates major platforms like Meta, TikTok, and YouTube to prevent underage users from creating accounts since it was enacted on December 10 last year.
Compliance efforts
Compliance and concerns over the ban
In line with the law, Meta has removed 331,000 underage accounts from Instagram, 173,000 from Facebook, and 40,000 from Threads in the week ending December 11. The company said it is committed to complying with this legislation. However, Meta also urged the Australian government to work with industry players to find better solutions such as incentivizing them to provide safe online experiences for all ages instead of imposing blanket bans.
Verification suggestion
Meta's proposal for age verification
Meta has also reiterated its call for app stores to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent before allowing under-16s to download an app. The company believes this is the only way to prevent a "whack-a-mole" scenario where teens move to new apps to escape the ban. This comes amid concerns that the legislation could isolate young people from online communities or push them toward less regulated apps and darker corners of the internet.
Strategy
Multilayered process for compliance
Despite concerns over the lack of an industry standard for determining age online, Meta said its compliance with the Australian law would be a "multilayered process." The company has also helped establish the OpenAge Initiative, a non-profit group that has launched age-verification tools called AgeKeys to be used with participating platforms. This is part of their ongoing efforts to ensure safer online experiences for young Australians.