Labor’s proposal was partly inspired by South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, who plans to ban people 13 and under from social media while requiring parental consent for 14 and 15-year-olds. Malinauskas had former High Court chief justice Robert French investigate the merits of a ban.
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How might it work?
There are a few options.
Many social media giants rely on self-reporting to ensure users are at least 13. Meta, which owns Facebook, asks its users to enter a birth year. That system can be easily bypassed by entering a fake birthdate, or tapping “yes” when asked to verify someone is old enough to have an account. Instagram, another Meta app, asks its users to upload a photo ID.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has instead recommended a “double-blind tokenised approach”, whereby information would be provided to a verifying third party that would certify the user’s age to social media platforms without revealing details about the child.
Other options include verified parental …