SYDNEY (Reuters) - Big Tech corporations on Friday hit out at a landmark Australian law that bans youths under the age of 16 from accessing social media, saying the law was "rushed" through parliament.
Australia approved the social media ban for children late on Thursday. The law forces tech giants from Instagram and Facebook owner Meta to TikTok to stop minors logging in or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million).
TikTok, the hugely popular platform where teen users upload and share videos, said in a statement to Reuters on Friday that it was likely the ban could see young people pushed to darker corners of the internet.
"Moving forward, it's critical that the Australian government works closely with industry to fix issues created by this rushed process. We want to work together to keep teens safe and reduce the unintended consequences of this law for all Australians," it said.
The government had warned Big Tech of its plans for months, and first announced the ban after a parliamentary inquiry earlier this year that heard testimony from parents of children who had self-harmed due to cyber bullying.
Albanese's Labor party, which does not control the Senate, won crucial support from the opposition conservatives for the bill, allowing it to progress quickly.
The bill was introduced into parliament last Thursday and sent to a select committee on Friday where interested parties had 24 hours to make a submission. The legislation was passed on Thursday as part of 31 bills that were pushed through in a chaotic final day of parliament for the year.
Meta criticised the law saying it was a "predetermined process".
"Last week, the parliament’s own committee said the ‘causal link with social media appears unclear,’ with respect to the mental health of young Australians, whereas this week the rushed Senate Committee report pronounced that social media caused harm," it said in a statement in the early hours of Friday.
Snapchat parent Snap said it leaves many questions unanswered.
Australia has been at loggerheads with the mostly U.S.-domiciled tech giants for years. It was the first country to make social media platforms pay media outlets royalties for sharing their content and earlier this year said it plans to threaten them with fines for failing to stamp out scams.
Sunita Bose, managing director of Digital Industry Group, which has most social media companies as members, said no one can confidently explain how the law will work in practice.
"The community and platforms are in the dark about what exactly is required of them," she said.
A trial of methods to enforce it will start in January with the ban to take effect by Nov. 2025.
Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Canberra supports the U.S. strike on Iran and calls for de-escalation and diplomacy.
Indonesian police have arrested three Australian men in connection with a deadly shooting at a villa in Bali, which claimed the life of a fourth Australian and left another seriously injured, according to Bali police chief Daniel Adityajaya on Wednesday.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to counter the "damaging" notion that democratic systems are failing, especially during a time of widespread global instability.
China's Foreign Ministry is pushing for a "more mature, stable and fruitful" partnership with Australia. While seeking stronger ties, Beijing offered no details on reports of PM Anthony Albanese visiting this summer.
China has rejected accusations made by the defense chiefs of the US, Japan, Australia and the Philippines, who last week raised concerns over Beijing’s actions in the East and South China Seas.
Norway is stepping up military support for Ukraine with a $640 million package aimed at boosting the country's drone capabilities, both on the battlefield and for infrastructure protection.
Ukraine faces a massive housing crisis as the ongoing war leaves over 2.5 million homes damaged or destroyed. Reconstruction efforts are advancing, but the road ahead remains long, complex, and deeply tied to economic, demographic, and security realities.
Afghan farmers are shifting away from opium cultivation as the interim government ramps up efforts to eliminate the drug trade, offering alternative crops and local support.
The EU is moving to simplify and unify its space policy with a landmark proposal—the EU Space Act aimed at boosting Europe’s competitiveness in the global space economy and establishing a single, streamlined market for space services.
China has surpassed its 2030 renewable energy target six years ahead of schedule and now leads the world in clean energy investment, innovation, and deployment, transforming itself into a global powerhouse in the transition to a sustainable energy future.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and its European services to Amman, Jordan, effective immediately until 15 September due to escalating situation in the Middle East. Also, the air carrier temporarily suspended its flights between Astana, Kazakhstan, and Abu Dhabi.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
Norway is stepping up military support for Ukraine with a $640 million package aimed at boosting the country's drone capabilities, both on the battlefield and for infrastructure protection.
Ukraine faces a massive housing crisis as the ongoing war leaves over 2.5 million homes damaged or destroyed. Reconstruction efforts are advancing, but the road ahead remains long, complex, and deeply tied to economic, demographic, and security realities.
Afghan farmers are shifting away from opium cultivation as the interim government ramps up efforts to eliminate the drug trade, offering alternative crops and local support.
U.S. mortgage interest rates saw slight changes last week as applications for refinancing increased, even though home purchase applications dipped.
Victor Arthein, a senior figure in the Guadeloupe Communist Party, has urged the territory to pursue political and economic independence from France, citing deep-rooted structural dependence and declining sovereignty.
Norway is stepping up military support for Ukraine with a $640 million package aimed at boosting the country's drone capabilities, both on the battlefield and for infrastructure protection.
Ukraine faces a massive housing crisis as the ongoing war leaves over 2.5 million homes damaged or destroyed. Reconstruction efforts are advancing, but the road ahead remains long, complex, and deeply tied to economic, demographic, and security realities.
Afghan farmers are shifting away from opium cultivation as the interim government ramps up efforts to eliminate the drug trade, offering alternative crops and local support.
The EU is moving to simplify and unify its space policy with a landmark proposal—the EU Space Act aimed at boosting Europe’s competitiveness in the global space economy and establishing a single, streamlined market for space services.
China has surpassed its 2030 renewable energy target six years ahead of schedule and now leads the world in clean energy investment, innovation, and deployment, transforming itself into a global powerhouse in the transition to a sustainable energy future.
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