Australia Takes on Big Tech With $78m Fines Over Child Safety Failures
Australia is proposing stricter regulations that would make social media companies more accountable for keeping children safe from harmful online content, and impose fines of up to US$78 million on companies that fail in their duty of care.
The draft legislation was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday, which he said platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok need to do more to safeguard young users.
The proposed legislation would require social media platforms to protect children under 18 from harmful content, such as pornography, online bullying, content glorifying crime and eating disorders.
The bill would also provide users with more control over the algorithm that determines their social media feeds. Platforms would be required to provide an option allowing users to turn off personalised recommendation algorithms.
The measures were aimed at making sure that Australian children were not treated as commodities by technology companies, Albanese said.
The laws proposed are based on Australia’s new social media restrictions for children under 16 that were introduced late last year. But recent figures reportedly indicated that some kids under the age of 16 were still using platforms such as Instagram and TikTok despite the bans.
Technology firms are under greater scrutiny for the effects of their platforms and algorithms on young people, Communications Minister Anika Wells said.
The draft legislation will be presented to parliament later this year after consultations with technology companies, industry organisations and civil society groups.
The suggested measures reflect a global awareness of the need to protect children online and the role of social media platforms in minimising exposure to harmful content.
