Source : Perth Now news
Communications Minister Anika Wells has called on parliament to pass tweaks to the teen social media ban that could slap big tech giants with fines north of $100m for failing to keep under 16s off their platforms.
The proposed changes passed through a Senate probe after being introduced in July, with members agreeing the online safety watchdog needed stronger enforcement powers and that the maximum fine should be higher than the current $49.5m.
“It’s been more than two months since the Albanese government introduced an urgent law to strengthen eSafety’s powers to enforce the social media minimum age law,” Ms Wells said ahead of parliament’s return on Monday.
“Australian kids and parents needed these laws eight weeks ago, but the Coalition and Greens teamed up to send our four-page bill to an eight-week inquiry.
“The Coalition and the Greens ignored the pleas of parents who want social media companies held to account for harming Australian kids.
“This is the kind of dawdling and delay that has enabled social media companies to get away with harming our kids for so long.”
She called on parliamentarians “to put politics to the side and pass this bill this week, so the eSafety Commissioner can hold social media companies accountable”.
The Albanese government claims the ban has deleted, deactivated or restricted more than five million accounts since it kicked in late last year.
But independent reviews in Australia and abroad have cast doubt on that figure as other countries, such France and the UK, eye similar bans.
A study published by the British Medical Journal in June found that over 85 per cent of under-16s surveyed continued using social media three months after the ban took effect, with researchers concluding age verification was “suboptimal” and easily bypassed.
Another survey run by UK-based charity Molly Rose found 61 per cent of 12-15 year-olds with accounts before the ban were still able to access one or more accounts.
With the Albanese government also set release draft legislation for a digital duty of care, Angus Taylor said on Sunday Labor should focus on plugging holes in the social media ban first.
He said the number of teens taken off platforms was “immaterial”.
“I do think that making the initiative that’s already been put in place for keeping under 16 year olds off social media – I think making that work is crucial,” the Opposition Leader told News24.
“I mean the government should be focused on that because it’s not working.”
