Australia has banned social media for kids under 16. Don't wait for Big Tech to comply.
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Unlike an increasing amount of today’s world wide web, this article was carefully crafted by the diligent humans at Arbiio, not AI. Accuracy is of paramount importance to us.
In a ground-breaking decision, Australia has taken a decisive step to safeguard its young population from the dangers of social media. The November 2024 passed law, banning social media access for children under 16, marks a significant shift in how governments approach online safety for minors. Yet you shouldn't wait for the year-or-more this will take to implement, and do so imperfectly. You can do your part to improve the wellbeing of children in our households, right now.
The new legislation: a closer look
The Australian government's new law requires social media companies to take reasonable steps to prevent users under 16 from accessing their platforms. This move aims to address growing concerns about the impact of social media on young people's mental health, privacy, and overall well-being. However, the legislation has raised several questions about its implementation and enforcement:
- The exact scope of services covered remains unclear, with uncertainty surrounding platforms like YouTube and WhatsApp.
- Users won't be required to verify their age using government issued ID.
- The absence of fines for parents has been noted, despite their crucial role in enforcing these restrictions.
- It's expected the ban will take up to 12 months to implement
While the government takes action at a national level, parents and guardians can play a vital role in protecting children online right now - let's not wait a year to start better serving our youngest generations. This is where Arbiio's DNS service become an invaluable tools in the fight against the risk of increasing mental health challenges as a consequence of our modern social media landscape. Pertinently related, you haven't yet read "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt, here's a link to the key takeaways.
Step up and be backed up by Arbiio
As parents, we don't need to wait. We can take action sooner, and the sooner the better. Arbiio offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to enhance online safety:
- Content filtering: Parents can block access to specific websites, apps, and games, or entire categories of content such as social media. You can block these categories at all times, or just the times your young kids are home.
- Parental controls: Set up safe search options and restrict access to adult content across all devices connected to your home network in one convenient, central location.
- Denylist and allowlist: Easily block or allow specific domains to fine-tune content access, such as allowing access to Discord, but not TikTok.
By utilising services such as Arbiio, parents can take proactive steps to enforce age restrictions and protect their children from potential online harms, complementing the government's efforts.
The bigger picture and a proactive approach
Australia's bold move has caught the attention of governments and tech companies worldwide. As other countries grapple with similar concerns about youth online safety, they will be closely watching the implementation and effectiveness of this legislation. But it will still be a year in the making from here.
While Australia's new law represents a significant step towards protecting young people online, its intent will not yeild desired outcomes if we rely only on policy and Big Tech. It's ultimately still up to us, the parents. We're proud to say that Arbiio provides powerful tools for parents to take an active role in their children's online safety today, helping to bridge the gap between legislation and real-world implementation.
Let's not wait for government and Big Tech to act on this legislation - let's take control, right now.