Get rid of harmful content instead of us, say teens
Young people challenging the law said social media companies and the Australian government should use their resources to remove offensive and harmful content from platforms rather than banning those under 16.
From December 10, social media firms including Meta, TikTok and YouTube must ensure young Australians cannot have accounts on their platforms.
Campaigners and the government say the law is needed to protect children from harmful content and algorithms that can promote this content to users.
But the policy is being challenged in the country’s highest court by two 15-year-olds backed by a human rights group who say their right to free communication is being taken away.
One of them, Noah Jones, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that bad things happen on the internet but that doesn’t mean banning under-16s is the right answer.
“We should not use the resources and money of these social media platforms to avoid penalties from our government,” he said.
“They should use this money and resources to get rid of predators and harmful content.”
Macy Newland, who posed the challenge with Noah, admitted that she believes there are issues with social media, gaming, and screen time in general.
But he told the BBC they also bring “a lot of good things” such as education, communication and inclusion in society.
Rather than a blanket ban, Ms. Newland said what was needed was better education about online harms, improved safety measures such as age verification and resources on how to use social media appropriately.
The duo argue that the ban will affect their relationships and especially their sources of information about politics.
“Democracy does not start at 16, as this law says,” Ms Newland said.
Digital Freedom Project (DFP), led by New South Wales MP John Ruddick announced that the case was moved to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
After news of the legal challenge broke, Communications Minister Anika Wells told the Australian parliament that the government would not be affected.
“We will not be afraid of threats. We will not be afraid of legal challenges. We will not be afraid of big tech. We will stand firm on behalf of Australian parents,” he said.
Despite opposition from the tech companies that would be tasked with enforcing the ban, polls show it is supported by most Australian adults.
But some mental health advocates say it could cut off kids’ connections with their peers, while others say it could push teens into even less regulated corners of the internet.
