Sydney: Australia will not require any social media giants to verify the ages of all users under his ban on under 16 years of age using the platforms, Canberra said Tuesday.
But platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, Tiktok and YouTube are expected to take “reasonable steps” to prevent children from accessing the apps, said it.
Australia has been a leader in global efforts to prevent internet damage, but current legislation offers almost no details on how the prohibition will be maintained – with regard to concern among experts that it will simply be a symbolic part of non -unable legislation.
Social media companies have also described the laws as “vague”, “problematic” and “rushed”.
Communication Minister Anika Wells said on Tuesday that social media groups should take “reasonable steps” to detect and deactivate users of minors.
“We can’t control the ocean, but we can guard the sharks and today we make clear the rest of the world how we can do this,” she said.
“There is no excuse for social media platforms not to meet their obligations among the new laws,” she added.
On Tuesday’s long -awaited legal guidelines, social media platforms should follow to follow a “multi -layered” approach to age control.
But the head of the online regulator of Australia, the Esafety Commission, accepted that there was “no one-size-fits-all solution” to actually maintain the world-first legislation.
“By following a layered or ‘waterfall’ approach … Platforms can manage the risks related to any errors in age infant or estimate,” said Inman Grant.
“Platforms do not have to verify age, check each Australian user to satisfy,” said Grant.
The Esafety Commission will be able to bring about social media companies to AUS $ 49.5 million for non -compliance with the rules.
An independent study ordered by the Australian government discovered this month that checking age can be done “private, efficient and effective”, although it admitted that no solution would fit with all contexts.
In the coming months, the supervisor has also introduced a number of rules that will come into effect in Australia to protect children against “legal but terrible” content, including online pornography and AI chatbots that are capable of sexually explicit conversations.
This week, gaming giant Roblox Corp agreed to curb the risk that adults take care of children on his platform in Australia.
