Highlights:
- Reddit and Kick have been added to the list of platforms that have to prohibit users under 16 in Australia from December 10.
- Eight platforms now risk being fined up to $49.5 million if they do not take reasonable steps to prevent access by teenagers.
- Close to 1.5 million profiles will have to be shut down in accordance with new age restriction regulations.
- Besides gaming platforms and messaging apps like Discord, WhatsApp and Roblox are not affected.
- The government says the laws save kids from predatory algorithms and content that can harm them.
Two More Platforms Caught in Age Ban
Two more well-known online platforms faced the brunt of Australia’s social media age laws on Tuesday. Reddit and Kick were the ones that the CDC added to the list of sites that must prohibit Australians under 16 from December 10. The government made this disclosure a day after it was reported that the co-founder of Reddit had become a billionaire.
Reddit is an extensive social media platform where people become members of communities and vote a post up or down according to their liking. Australian live-streaming platform Kick allows users to live-stream or watch live-streams. It is a platform that has gained popularity among gamers. Together they now form the group of Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) that are on the restricted list. All these companies are facing a penalty of up to $49.5 million if going about their business, they do not take steps to stop under-16s from holding accounts.
Over a Million Profiles Must Go
It is reported that approximately 1.5 million profiles will have to be discontinued due to these new laws. However, online gaming platforms and standalone messaging apps are not affected by the legislation. Australian authorities have informed Discord, Roblox, Steam, YouTube Kids, Lego Play, and WhatsApp that they are not subject to age restrictions.
Communications Minister Anika Wells indicated that the minimum age laws are meant to shield young Australians from the internet’s dangers and pressures that they encounter while using their devices. “There is a time and place for social media in Australia, but predatory algorithms, harmful content and toxic popularity metres have no place to manipulate Australian children,” Wells said. According to her, online platforms can scare children with their absolute control over them, but the government is ordering these platforms to use that complex technology for children’s protection instead.
Platforms Say They’ll Comply
In its response to a parliamentary inquiry, Reddit said that Australia is its fifth-largest user base, with 90% of users being over 18 years old. The platform stated that users, volunteer moderators, and Reddit employees each have a vital role in governance. The content is shared among a broad spectrum of users; thus, users are effectively empowered to participate in their governance. Reddit’s content policy includes prohibiting hateful content, violence promotion, and sharing personal information or intimate images without consent.
Kick, a Melbourne-based company launched in 2022, was suddenly in the limelight earlier this year due to the unfortunate event of a prominent user’s death during a broadcast. A Kick spokesperson told the media that the platform has been collaborating with eSafety for a while and will fulfil its obligations by December 10. “We are headquartered in Melbourne and with more than 80 million users, we are challenging tech giants and demonstrating that Australian-made platforms can compete globally,” the spokesperson said. They also mentioned that although Australia accounts for a small portion of their worldwide audience, Kick was created here, and they will continue to support local creators.
Some of the Concerns are Regarding Unexpected Consequences
While Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have announced that they will comply with the impending ban, TikTok’s head of public policy argues that the limitations may cause youngsters to look for “darker” places on the internet where there are no rules. Some content creators and influencers in Australia, with large online followings, have moved abroad to circumvent the ban.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant compared it to giving a child more time to learn and grow by postponing their access to social media. She said it was a change in norms that would be of great value to parents and young people. The eSafety Commissioner also pointed out that the age limit requirements for the eight platforms currently indicated are only the start and that the list is subject to change, depending on ongoing assessments.
FAQs:
Q: What platforms should refuse entry to Australians under 16?
A: From December 10, Reddit, Kick, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) are all required to prohibit users under 16.
Q: What are the consequences if the platforms don’t follow Australia’s age restrictions?
A: If companies fail to take reasonable steps to prevent users under 16 from holding accounts with them, they may be subject to penalties of up to $49.5 million.
Q: Are gaming platforms part of the social media age ban?
A: Online gaming platforms and separate messaging apps are not included in the ban. Discord, Roblox, Steam, YouTube Kids, Lego Play, and WhatsApp are free from age restrictions.
Q: How many accounts must be removed as per this legislation?
A: It is said that around 1.5 million profiles will have to be deactivated due to age restriction laws.
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