Google, Meta call on Australia to ‘stall’ social media ban bill

Google and Meta have reportedly urged the Australian government to delay a bill that would ban minors under the age of 16 from using most social media.

The bill, which proposes fines of up to $40 million for platforms that fail to prevent minors from owning accounts, aims to address online safety concerns as many young Australians are exposed to harmful content such as drug abuse, self-harm and violent material.

According to a report by Reuters, in their submission to parliament, Google and Meta argued that the government should wait for the completion of an age verification process, which is expected to be ready next year, before confirming the ban.

“In the absence of such results, neither industry nor Australians will understand the nature or scale of age assurance required by the bill, nor the impact of such measures on Australians,” Meta said.

The parent company of Instagram and Facebook added the bill is “inconsistent and ineffective” and might lead to unexpected outcomes including isolating children or moving them to less regulated digital spaces.

TikTok, has also voiced its concerns on the Australian government passing a bill without a more thorough consultation with experts, social media platforms and mental health specialists and organisations.

“Where novel policy is put forward, it’s important that legislation is drafted in a thorough and considered way, to ensure it can achieve its stated intention. This has not been the case with respect to this bill,” TikTok said.

Canberra’s government is looking to pass the bill into law by the end of its parliamentary year. The bill was introduced in parliament last week and was open for submissions and opinions for only one day.

The Australian Senate is expected to deliver a report on Tuesday after it gathered to discuss the ban last Sunday.