The Australian government is threatening multimillion dollar fines for social media companies that breach a proposed ban on children under 16 from using their service. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland introduced an amendment to the Online Safety Act in parliament on Thursday, which the government has pitched as “world-leading social media reform.
“Ultimately, this is about supporting a safer and healthier online environment for young Australians.” The legislation follows several high-profile cases of children taking their own lives citing online bullying, and complaints from parents about the pressure their children face to be online. Many parents and pro-ban campaigners have lauded the bill as a long overdue measure to impose accountability on tech companies for tools Australian children use online.