Australia moves closer to social media ban for under-16s

SYDNEY - Australia on Nov 27 moved closer to banning social media for children under 16 after Parliament's Lower House passed the Bill, even as Alphabet's Google and Facebook-owner Meta pressed the government to delay the legislation.

- REUTERS

Australia's House of Representatives passed the Bill 102 votes to 13 after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's centre-left Labor government secured bipartisan support for the ban.

The landmark Bill is set to be debated by the Senate, with the government keen to ensure that it is passed by the end of the parliamentary year on Nov 28.

Mr Albanese, in trying to lift his approval ratings ahead of an election expected in May, has argued that excessive use of social media poses risks to the physical and mental health of children, and is looking for support from parents.

The planned law would force social media platforms to take reasonable steps to ensure age-verification protections are in place.

Companies could be fined up to A$49.5 million (S$43.1 million) for systemic breaches.

Australia plans to trial an age-verification system that may include biometrics or government identification to enforce a social media age cut-off, some of the toughest controls imposed by any country to date.