Meta urges Australia to rethink 'blanket' social media ban for teens
CNBC••world
Key Points:
- Meta has urged the Australian government to reconsider its new social media ban for users under 16, after blocking nearly 550,000 accounts across its platforms following the law's enactment on December 11, 2024.
- The Online Safety Amendment Act 2024 restricts access to major platforms including Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, Snapchat, and X for under-16 users, aiming to protect teens from harmful content.
- Meta advocates for industry-wide age verification standards and parental approval mechanisms at the app store level to provide consistent protections, warning that teens may circumvent the ban by migrating to unregulated apps.
- Other platforms like Reddit have legally challenged the ban, arguing it limits political discussion and isolates youth from
