Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban Takes Effect in December; Civil Group Files Suit to Stop It | WPN World People News

Media reports say that starting December 10, Australia will require social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to shut down the accounts of users under 16 years old. Platforms that fail to comply could face fines of up to 49.5 million AUD (about 1 billion NTD). On the 25th, the digital rights group *Digital Freedom Project* announced that it has taken legal action in an attempt to block the ban from taking effect.

According to the reports, the Digital Freedom Project stated that it has filed a lawsuit in the High Court of Australia together with two 15-year-old teenagers, arguing that the regulation constitutes unequal treatment in terms of freedom of expression. The group claims the ban directly infringes on young people’s right to political communication, depriving millions of young Australians of access to the “modern town square.”

Reports also note that Snapchat has announced that starting this week, users will be required to verify their age. Verification can be completed through an Australian bank account, government-issued ID, or by taking a facial photo through which a third party will estimate the user’s age range. Australia’s regulation banning children and teens under 16 from using social media has drawn significant global attention.

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