Government to introduce social media ban Bill to parliament

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Government to introduce social media ban Bill to parliament

The Albanese government is introducing its Bill to ban social media for kids under 16.

If passed, social media companies could be slapped with fines of up to $50m if they fail to do enough to verify a user’s age on their platforms.

The world-first legislation set to be introduced on Thursday would also create a legal definition of social media.

Snapchat would reportedly be captured in that definition.

Snapchat lets users exchange photos, videos and messages rather than offering a posting board-type feature, such as

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Camera IconSocial media companies could be slapped with fines of up to $50m under new laws introduced by the Albanese government. NewsWire / Aaron Francis Credit: News Corp Australia

There was some uncertainty around whether Snapchat could escape the proposed ban by arguing it was a messaging service and not a social media platform.

The Bill will likely get a warm welcome in parliament.

There has been broad bipartisan support for restricting minors’ access to social media for some time, with states and territories mulling their own bans.

Though, the Bill is not without critics.

Independent MP Zoe Daniel warned on Thursday morning that it could unintentionally make platforms “less safe”.

Camera IconIndependent MP Zoe Daniel says the social media ban could unintentionally make social media ‘less safe’. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia

“My biggest concern about it really is that it doesn’t substantively change what the platforms need to be doing on their platforms, and there may be an unintended consequence that the platforms actually become less safe,” she told the ABC.

“If you were to create a system where the platforms have to take responsibility, mitigate risk and be transparent about how they’re doing that and what tools they’re using, then that sort of provides, potentially, an environment where everyone can be in a safe space.

“What we’re doing is saying, ‘Well, we’re going to lock everyone under 16 out, and then everyone else can do whatever they want in there’.

“And also, we know that some people under 16 will get in. I don’t think that that’s really a good pathway to go down.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has likened the ban to age restrictions on alcohol, acknowledging people can get around it but arguing that it sets a standard.

The laws would come into force 12 months after passing.

The eSafety commissioner would be responsible for enforcing the legislation.

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