Dear MEL Topic Readers,
YouTube to be included in Australia’s social media ban for children
under 16
Children are vulnerable to cyberbullying and exposure to harmful
content, especially on social media. Last November, Australian parliament
passed a bill to ban children under 16 from using social media, the world’s
strictest laws. Australian children below the age of 16 will be unable to have
social media accounts under the ban, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat,
TikTok, X, and YouTube after December 10 this year. These social media
companies will be required to take "reasonable steps" to ensure there
are no workarounds before the restrictions take effect, or they could face
fines of up to $50 million. Children will be able to access YouTube, the most popular
video platform, but will not be allowed to have their own YouTube accounts. The
decision was made after the nation’s online regulator found that nearly 40% of
children surveyed reported seeing harmful content on YouTube, including sexist,
misogynistic, or hateful ideas, dangerous online challenges, fights, or
unhealthy eating or exercise habits videos. SNS platformers are trying to detect
underage users by using AI to deactivate personalized ads while activating
well-being tools. But most children spend hours each day on screens. What will
they do? Will they watch Disney videos or read educational content?
Read the article and learn about Australia’s strict ban on social media
for underage users.
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