"Serious concerns": Social media businesses like Meta criticize Australia's teen social media ban

The Australian government's prohibition on teen social media has sparked a backlash from users as well as internet businesses like Meta, who claim the administration passed the bill without taking into account the opinions of young people.

Social media companies are required to take "reasonable steps" to stop young teens from having accounts under the legislation, which was adopted by parliament on Thursday. After a year, it is scheduled to take effect.

A Meta representative stated, "We are concerned about the process which rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people."

Since the government has threatened to fine IT companies up to $50 million if they don't comply with the ban, the majority of them have stated that they will.

Facebook, Instagram, and X, according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, will result in "better outcomes and less harm for young Australians."

Other tech firms respond
Meta was not the only social media company to criticize the ban.

A representative for Snapchat stated that the firm had expressed "serious concerns" regarding the bill and that there were still "many unanswered questions" regarding its implementation.

However, the business stated that it would work closely with the government to create a strategy that strikes a balance between "privacy, safety, and practicality."

TikTok expressed its disappointment with the bill, claiming that the government disregarded specialists in youth, mental health, and internet safety who had argued against the ban.

According to a TikTok representative, "it's very possible that the ban will push young people to less safe areas of the internet where there are no community guidelines, safety tools, or protections."

"A ban will encourage children to use unregulated internet sites."
Concerns about the ban have been raised by the UN and UNICEF Australia, which have stated that it will hurt young people more than it will help.

According to UNICEF Australia policy leader Katie Maskiell, "this ban risks pushing children into increasingly covert and unregulated online spaces as well as preventing them from accessing aspects of the online world essential to their wellbeing."