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Australian Parliament bans social media for under-16s with world-first law (apnews.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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The law will make platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

The platforms have one year to work out how they could implement the ban before penalties are enforced. ... Platforms would not be allowed to compel users to provide government-issued identity documents including passports or driver’s licenses, nor could they demand digital identification through a government system.

Magic apparently, they just passed the law without providing any solution.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 weeks ago

nor could they demand digital identification through a government system

That makes no sense at all. It's the only sane option: "hey, user xyz here wants to use our website, please tell us if they're allowed to" and leave it up to the government, who has all the data, to answer that. What else can they provide? A blood sample to determine "biological age" or something?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 weeks ago

They could try and fail, then appeal the law, or they can appeal the law before trying and failing. If it was, let's say Italy, it would be normal: an unforceable law nobody cares about, unless a couple of times per year with big fines and media coverage