Australia has just thrown a hand grenade into the controversy regarding adolescent access to social media. This week, it passed strict legislation that prohibits those under the age of 16 from reading or interacting with platforms such as Snapchat, TikTok, Reddit, Facebook, X, and Instagram. The Australian ban will have far-reaching consequences around the world, including in the US, where the debate is still bubbling in the cauldron of ideas that legislate private behavior.
Citing extreme cases of child exploitation, adolescent mental health experts hail the move as a much-needed protection for young people. However, some Americans consider such a law heavy-handed and in violation of the US Constitution. In Florida, for example, a law restricting kids under age 14 from accessing many social media platforms was passed but has been challenged by free speech advocates.
In September of this year, a federal judge in Utah overturned similar legislation, citing it as “likely” unconstitutional. US District Court Judge Robert Shelby halted the state’s Social Media Act with a preliminary injunction. His chief concern centered on the necessity to verify ages and other intrusive settings that would violate the privacy of minors.
Australian Ban Met With Aussie Approval
In the land down under, however, the new legislation is said to be immensely popular – surveys reveal a 77% approval rating. Several news sources say the effort was led by Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp Australia. As the country’s largest newspaper publisher, Murdoch and company pushed the legislation with a campaign called “Let Them Be Kids,” according to Reuters.
Still, free speech advocates in Australia remain more than a bit concerned by what they see as significant social-engineering overreach. In the “politics makes strange bedfellows” category, those on the far left seem worried, as well. The Guardian reported: “The left-leaning Greens rejected the law as rushed and unfair on young people, while some far-right lawmakers broke from their party’s support and voted against it on concerns of government overreach and potential surveillance.”
Outlawing the many social media platforms will have the unintended consequence of turning it into a forbidden fruit. It’s a fear as old as when Eve reached for the apple in Eden, and young people should not be underestimated for their ingenuity. After all, the fake ID has been around as long as there have been age restrictions on tobacco and alcohol. Meanwhile, some argue that in their zeal to gain access to a favorite platform, young people will be pushed into the “dark web,” where even more dangerous content awaits the unsuspecting child.
There are also those who argue that a significant portion of youngsters, in the US at least, get their news from social media outlets, and such a ban would eliminate their access to open forums and push them to get their news from leftist corporate entities. This comes on the heels of a strong conservative showing by young people in the recent election.
Then there is the issue of implementation, which appears fraught with peril.
In the case of the Australian ban, social media platforms will be held responsible for enforcing the new law. This would have to include some sort of age-verification technology. Biometrics might be employed along with other identifying algorithms – and this is where the issue of violating privacy comes into play. If the media giants aren’t effective in policing the situation, they stand to face monetary penalties of up to $50 million (in US currency). But this is not the first time Australia has gone after big tech.
Legislating behavior is always a sticky wicket – as is social engineering in general. Many Americans maintain that such issues should be left to the parents, not the states. Others believe the potential downside of social media is a scourge on our young people. Both sides in such a situation make valid points, which is why it will be instructive to watch how all this plays out in Australia before the US gets too deep into such murky waters.
