Image credit: The Byteline

Google and Meta, the owner of Facebook, are urging the Australian government to delay a proposed bill that would impose strict social media bans for children under 16. The tech giants argue that more time is needed to assess the potential impacts of the legislation, which could become one of the world’s most stringent laws on children's social media use.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's center-left government is pushing to pass the bill by Thursday, before the end of the parliamentary year. Introduced just last week, the bill was open for public submissions for only one day, sparking criticism from various stakeholders, including social media companies.

The bill would require social media platforms, rather than parents or children, to take reasonable steps to ensure age-verification protections are in place. Non-compliance could result in fines of up to $32 million.

Google and Meta, in their submissions to the government, called for a delay until the results of an age-verification trial are available. The proposed age-verification system could include biometrics or government-issued identification to enforce the social media age cut-off.

"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 in its statement, describing the bill as "inconsistent and ineffective."

ByteDance's TikTok also criticized the rushed timeline, citing a lack of clarity and consultation with key stakeholders, including mental health organizations, social media platforms, and young people. "Where novel policy is put forward, it's important that legislation is drafted in a thorough and considered way. This has not been the case with respect to this bill," TikTok said.

Elon Musk's X (formerly Twitter) raised concerns that the bill could negatively impact the human rights of children and young people, particularly their freedom of expression and access to information. Musk recently criticized the Australian government, labeling the bill as a "backdoor way to control access to the internet."

Despite industry opposition, the bill has garnered support from the opposition Liberal party, making its passage likely. However, some independent lawmakers have accused the government of rushing the process, which is expected to conclude within a week.

A Senate committee responsible for communications legislation is set to deliver its report this week, potentially influencing the bill's progress.

If passed, the law would introduce age-verification requirements unprecedented in their scope, placing the burden of enforcement squarely on social media platforms. Companies failing to comply could face hefty fines, signaling a significant shift in how governments regulate digital platforms' interactions with minors.

While the bill’s intention to protect children is widely acknowledged, critics argue that the rushed process and lack of thorough consultation could lead to unintended consequences, raising questions about privacy, feasibility, and effectiveness.

Australia’s proposed law has the potential to set a global precedent for regulating children's access to social media. However, the outcome of the debate may hinge on whether the government heeds the calls for more research and collaboration before implementing such sweeping measures.

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