Australia’s recent law prohibiting children under 16 from creating social media accounts is facing a constitutional challenge in the nation’s highest court. Two teenagers, Noah Jones and Macy Neyland, contend that the law infringes on their right to free communication. The legislation, which mandates that companies like Meta, TikTok, and YouTube enforce this age restriction starting December 10, was formulated with the intent of safeguarding children from potentially harmful content and algorithms.
The Digital Freedom Project, a rights group supporting the adolescents, claims the ban undermines children’s rights. They assert that young individuals depend on social media for information and social interaction, and the prohibition may disproportionately affect marginalized groups, including youth with disabilities, First Nations communities, and LGBTIQ+ teenagers.
Communications Minister Anika Wells has expressed the government’s steadfast position, stating that they will not be influenced by challenges from tech firms or legal threats. The Digital Freedom Project, led by New South Wales politician John Ruddick, aims to highlight the implications of the ban on political communication and scrutinize the proportionality of the law’s intentions.
The group has suggested that alternative measures, such as digital literacy programs, age-appropriate features on social media platforms, and enhanced privacy protections through age assurance technologies, could better serve to protect children online. In their statements, Jones referred to the government’s approach as “lazy,” arguing that it would be more effective to implement protective measures rather than silencing youth.
While the ban has faced opposition from tech companies, polls indicate that it is supported by a majority of Australian adults. Nonetheless, some mental health experts argue that it may isolate children from valuable connections, potentially pushing them toward less regulated areas of the internet.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9d9l7w1g8yo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss