Responding to proposals by the Australian government to ban social media access for children under the age of 16, Amnesty International Australia Campaigner Nikita White, said:
“Rather than banning children and young people from social media, the Anthony Albanese led government should regulate to enhance the protection of children’s privacy and personal data while prioritizing their human rights.
“The government should put in place safeguards to ensure that content-shaping algorithms used by online platforms doesn’t use profiling by default.
“There’s no doubt that the practices of social media platforms are harming young people’s rights, but young people also have a right to express themselves online and seek information. Social media offers children and young people benefits such as inclusion, social connection and a sense of belonging, all of which can also support their mental health.
Nikita White
“A total ban would put the burden of companies’ harmful business practises on young people instead of the companies causing the harm. Removing the benefits that social media brings will not achieve the government’s objective of improving young people’s lives, and ignores the fact that the harms extend beyond children and young people to marginalized people and groups. The best way to protect children and young people online is by protecting all users with stronger data protection laws and not personalizing feeds based on profiling.”
Background
On Thursday 21 November 2024, the Australian government introduced a bill in parliament that aims to ban social media for children under 16. The proposals aim to address the harms children and young people face on social media platforms. The ban will affect access to Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.
Australia’s online regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, would be responsible for enforcing the laws if enacted. An age-verification system is being trialed as part of measures to prevent children from accessing social media platforms.
Amnesty International has previously stated that the surveillance-based business models of TikTok, Meta and Google are fundamentally incompatible with privacy rights and cause systematic harm.