What is the world's first effect of the Australian House of Representatives' bill to ban the use of SNS under the age of 16?
Nov 28, 2024
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According to CBS News and other foreign media, the Australian House of Representatives on the 27th (local time) supported a bill to fine up to 50 million Australian dollars (about 45.3 billion won) if platforms including TikTok, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Snapchat, and Reddit fail to prevent minors from holding accounts. The bill was passed 102 to 13 in favor and handed over to the Senate. It is likely to be passed by the Senate without much difficulty.
If the bill is passed this week, the punishment will be suspended for one year for the social platform industry to come up with its own measures to implement age restrictions.
As a result, the platform cannot force users to provide government-issued identification, including passports or driver's licenses, and cannot require digital identification through government systems.
Opposition lawmaker Dan Tehan told parliament that the government had agreed to accept amendments in the Senate that would strengthen privacy.
However, some point out that the practical effect is poor.
Critics pointed out that the bill "rushed through Congress without sufficient review, was ineffective, posed privacy risks to users of all ages, and would deprive parents of the power to decide what was best for their children."
It also argued that the bill would isolate children, deprive them of the positive aspects of social media, drive them into the dark web, make children reluctant to report damage on social media, and deprive platforms of motivation to make online spaces safer.
Rep. Joe Daniel, an independent, said "This bill will have no effect on the harm inherent in social media at all."
He told Congress that the real purpose of the bill is not to intentionally make social media safe, but to make parents and voters feel that the government is doing something about it. There is a reason why the government is putting it forward as if it were leading the world, which is because no other country wants it."
bellho@sportschosun.com
