The law would make Australia one of the first countries in the world to impose an age restriction on social media, but opponents say it could drive online activity underground.

Australia plans to set a minimum age limit for children to use social media citing concerns about mental and physical health, drawing a backlash from digital rights advocates who warn the measure could drive dangerous online activity underground.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his center-left government would run an age verification trial before introducing age minimum laws for social media this year.

Albanese did not specify an age but said it would most likely be between 14 and 16.

  • Not_mikey@slrpnk.net
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    7 days ago

    They’ll also be exposed to other external views that are a bit more unsavory. For every kid that watches a video by an LGBT creator and learns being gay is okay, there’s another kid who watches some alpha douche Andrew Tate type that teach them women are objects. The internet is the definition of a mixed bag and should not be used to educate children

    Which is why we shouldn’t be relying on social media for this stuff anyway, this should be done by schools. If a child is in an oppressive abusive house they probably won’t get social media anyway, but they will more likely have to go to school. Also teachers and counselors are professionals who know how to educate children and handle abusive situations way better then some stranger online.

    • Riven@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      7 days ago

      I would argue the kids are more exposed to douches like tate because all algorithms fucking push that controversial shit for the views for every pro lgbt post pushed there’s gonna be 10 tates pushed.

      I’m not arguing for or against what stralia is doing but something needs to be done about social media pushing all that bad shit.

    • Clent@lemmy.world
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      7 days ago

      School isn’t able to detect all abuse and it is not uncommon for abusers to homeschool to avoid detection.