澳大利亚正式实施未成年人“社媒禁令”，澳总理发声

Core Viewpoint - Australia has implemented a ban on social media usage for minors under 16 years old, aiming to protect them from psychological pressure and potential risks associated with social media platforms [1][3]. Group 1: Legislation and Implementation - The ban is based on the "2024 Cyber Security (Minimum Age for Social Media) Amendment" passed by the Australian Parliament in November last year, which mandates social media platforms to take reasonable measures to prevent users under 16 from creating accounts [3]. - Companies violating this law could face fines up to AUD 49.5 million (approximately CNY 232 million) [3]. - Social media platforms are allowed to determine their own methods for age verification, but cannot rely solely on identification documents [3]. Group 2: Industry Response - Companies like Meta have not disclosed their age verification methods, citing concerns that revealing details could help minors bypass the ban [3]. - TikTok has stated it employs a multi-layered approach combining technology and manual review to detect potentially underage accounts [3]. - Snapchat has expressed concerns about the technical challenges of enforcing the ban and allows parents to report their children's accounts as underage [4]. Group 3: Challenges and Concerns - Social media companies argue that the ban is difficult to enforce, as age verification mechanisms can be easily circumvented by minors [4]. - YouTube has criticized the rushed implementation of the law, suggesting it may make minors less safe by allowing them to use the platform without accounts [4]. - Reddit has expressed concerns about the law infringing on privacy rights while committing to comply with the ban [4]. Group 4: Government Perspective - The Australian government acknowledges the challenges in enforcing the ban but emphasizes the clarity of the message it sends [5]. - The Prime Minister compared the social media age restriction to the legal drinking age, highlighting the societal benefits of having a clear national standard [5]. - Experts suggest that while Australia is the first country to impose such restrictions on minors, it is unlikely to be the last [5].