Australian Senate Committee backs bill to ban social media for under-16s

New Delhi: The Australian Senate Committee has endorsed a bill that aims to ban social media access for children under the age of 16.

The proposed legislation, known as the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, has passed the House of Representatives and is now awaiting final approval in the Senate. 

If enacted, this law would make platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) responsible for ensuring that minors under 16 do not have accounts, with hefty fines of up to $50 million AUD for systemic failures.

The Senate Committee, while backing the bill, advised against requiring users to submit sensitive personal information like passports for age verification. They suggested exploring alternative age assurance methods, which are currently under trial in Australia.

The committee's support comes amid a broader conversation about digital rights, privacy, and the role of government in regulating online spaces. The trial of age-verification technologies is expected to provide more clarity on how such a ban might be enforced without compromising user privacy.