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Fines doubled as teens outsmart Australia's world-first social media ban
17 days ago
- Australia plans to double fines for social media platforms to A$99 million for failing to prevent under-16s from having accounts.
- 70% of children remained active on restricted platforms like Facebook and TikTok three months after the under-16s ban took effect.
- The eSafety Commissioner's powers will be expanded to demand information from platforms and third parties to enforce the ban.
- Communications Minister Anika Wells criticized Big Tech for not complying, stating the scheme is not working as intended.
- The opposition acknowledges the need for reforms but blames the original legislation for being underprepared.
Class action suit over deepfake child sexual abuse material expands
13 days ago
- A class action lawsuit against AI companies SpaceXAI and Stability AI expands, alleging their models were used to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
- Plaintiffs accuse the companies of producing CSAM, benefiting from sex trafficking, negligence, defective product design, and creating a public nuisance.
- The case involves Jane Doe 4, whose stepfather used SpaceXAI's chatbot Grok to generate explicit images from a childhood photo, leading to trauma and family breakdown.
- SpaceXAI allegedly failed to adequately report CSAM to authorities, lacking sufficient information and not sharing perpetrator details.
- Stability AI, added as a defendant, is accused of enabling CSAM generation through open-weight models, despite previous efforts to filter content.
- AI tools have made nonconsensual intimate image creation mainstream, prompting investigations and bans in some countries.
- Plaintiffs seek stronger guardrails on AI models and monetary compensation for the harm caused.
French President Macron backs effort to ban kids under 15 from social media
5 hours ago
- French lawmakers reached a compromise on a bill to ban social media for children under 15, aiming for enactment by September.
- The bill was amended after the European Commission found it partly incompatible with EU law; a final vote is set for Tuesday.
- The ban covers all social networking services except for online encyclopedias, educational tools, and open-source platforms.
- French President Emmanuel Macron supports the ban, which could be one of his last major measures before leaving office.
- The bill also prohibits mobile phone use in high schools.
- Concerns over social media's harmful effects on minors, such as reduced self-esteem and risky behavior exposure, drove the legislation.
- Global momentum for age restrictions on social media is growing, with similar moves in Australia, the UK, Turkey, and Indonesia.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for limits, including no screens for children under 3.

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#child safety

Fines doubled as teens outsmart Australia's world-first social media ban

Class action suit over deepfake child sexual abuse material expands

French President Macron backs effort to ban kids under 15 from social media