Technical News Office – A bill was introduced in the Australian Parliament on Thursday to protect children from the bad influence of Internet media. The bill, the first of its kind in the world, will ban children under the age of 16 from accessing internet media. Australian Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said if internet media platforms TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit would disappear.
95% of parents consider this a challenge
This bill has broad political support. Once the law is enacted, platforms will have one year to implement the age restriction. The Communications Minister said almost two thirds of teenagers aged 14 to 17 have viewed material that could lead to self-harm, including violent material. According to a government study, 95% of parents consider online safety one of the most difficult challenges they face.
He said internet media have a social responsibility and can do a better job of eliminating harm caused on their platform. Rowland said that if internet platforms misuse users’ personal information obtained to find out their age, they will also have to pay a fine of up to $33 million. Australia is also exploring ways to prevent children under 18 from accessing pornographic content online. “The goal is to protect young people, not punish or isolate them, and to let parents know that we are with them when it comes to the health and well-being of their children,” said Rowland. He said: “We are not saying there is no risk on messaging apps or online games. Users may still be exposed to harmful content by other users. But they don’t face the same algorithmic curation and psychological manipulation that such content encourages here.
Experts expressed concern
Child protection and internet experts have expressed concerns about the ban, which involves separating 14- and 15-year-olds from their already established online social networks.
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