The Australian government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, is proposing a new Online Safety Bill that would ban most forms of social media access for children under the age of 16. The legislation, currently before a fast-tracked Senate inquiry with only 24 hours given for public submissions, aims to protect minors online but has drawn significant criticism. Experts warn that the bill is a "band-aid" solution that fails to address the real harms to children. Joanna Williams has expressed concerns that the policy "poses a clear threat to everyone's liberties." Global tech giants including Google, Meta Platforms Inc., and TikTok have heavily criticized the legislation, urging the government to delay it and expressing concerns over its potential impact on privacy and online anonymity. Under the proposed law, mandatory age verification could require users to provide biometric data or government identification, raising alarms about the erosion of civil liberties and the potential to kill online anonymity for everyone. Critics argue that the bill may not effectively address the harms to children online and could instead hinder young people's ability to communicate and access essential online resources.
