Australia just forced social media platforms to start reporting how many under-16 accounts they ban each month after passing a law that kicks kids off major sites. The Online Safety Amendment hits Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Snapchat, and Reddit with fines up to 50 million Australian dollars if they fail to block underage users, though Discord and Roblox got exempted because regulators decided gaming is their main thing.
Meta already started nuking half a million accounts from teens, and enforcement kicks off next week, even though companies will get some slack during the rollout. A group called Digital Freedom Project is trying to get the whole law tossed in court for violating free speech protections, but they have not gotten a hearing date yet.
Malaysia and the European Parliament are copying the approach, while some Australians think the age limit should actually be lower, at 13 instead of 16.
Meta already started nuking half a million accounts from teens, and enforcement kicks off next week, even though companies will get some slack during the rollout. A group called Digital Freedom Project is trying to get the whole law tossed in court for violating free speech protections, but they have not gotten a hearing date yet.
Malaysia and the European Parliament are copying the approach, while some Australians think the age limit should actually be lower, at 13 instead of 16.
