5 things Indian parents should know about the social media ban in Australia

The new rule of the Australian government that bars kids under 16 from social media accounts is gaining much attention. When the whole world is looking up to this rule of securing the future generation from the social media world, here are the key points the Indian parents should know about this step from Australia.

What is the Online Safety Amendment Bill 2024?

Australia's Online Safety Amendment Bill 2024, aka the Social media minimum age bill, was passed by the Australian parliament last year. This rule bars children under 16 from having social media on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube from December 10. As per the initial step, Meta has begun locking hundreds of thousands of accounts of children under the age of 16. The rule also carries a fine upto 49.5 million dollars to the companies who doesn't follow the ban.




As per updates, along with Australia, Denmark, the European Union, and Malaysia are also planning to impose such restrictions soon.

Social Media Minimum Act

As per the law, the platforms must take reasonable steps to identify users under 16 and deactivate their accounts. Also, the platforms will be taking measures to prevent misinformation like fake birthdays or identity misrepresentation.

Which apps are banned?

The ban applies to Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitch, X, Threads, YouTube, and Kick.

The exception!

As per the updates, for now, messaging apps, dating apps, AI Chatbots, and gaming platforms are exempted from this. But, there are updates that the regulators say the list will be reviewed and updated as needed.

The aim

Reportedly, the law aims at protecting children from online harms like bullying, peer pressure, depression, and anxiety. The major goal of the law is to improve the emotional and physical well-being of the future generation.

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