Image from Reuters
Australia is banning individuals under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms starting today. The bill was passed in November last year, with sites that allow access to underage users facing fines of up to A$49.5 million (~RM135 million). So, what should you know about it?
There are sites and platforms that evaded this ban
For your information, the only sites that have escaped enforcement so far are Discord, GitHub, LEGO Play, Roblox, Steam, Steam Chat, Google Classroom, Messenger, WhatsApp and YouTube Kids because they already have built-in features to block underage users.
Additionally, the Australian eSafety Commissioner says the banned sites are not a static list due to the rapidly changing nature of technology. As new technology platforms emerge or existing platforms change their purpose, they may re-evaluate the services.
Australia's outright ban on the use of platforms labelled as "social media" is the strictest in the world to date and is now a template for enforcement in other countries such as Indonesia.
In Malaysia, the Ministry of Communications requires platform owners to use the eKYC system on the grounds of “protecting users under 16 years old starting in 2026, with new account registrations no longer allowed. Unlike Australia, Malaysia does not impose penalties on site owners or parents who still allow minors to access social media.
Stay tuned to TechNave.com for more updates.
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