Australian government may require age verification for GitHub access
10 hours ago
- #legal challenges
- #teen ban
- #social media
- Legal fights are brewing over which online social platforms will have to ban under-16s.
- WhatsApp, Roblox, Reddit, and Discord are among platforms that may be covered by the teen social media ban.
- The federal government initially listed Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter/X, and YouTube as covered platforms.
- eSafety Commissioner has contacted 16 companies, including Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X, Roblox, Pinterest, Discord, and others.
- Companies must use eSafety's 'self-assessment' tool to determine if they fall under the new laws.
- Platforms can argue for exemption by providing evidence in writing.
- eSafety will prioritize enforcement on platforms with the largest under-16 user base and most demonstrated harms.
- Some platforms, like Roblox, argue they are exempt as gaming or messaging services.
- The definition of covered platforms is complex, with potential legal challenges expected.
- eSafety Commissioner lacks the power to make binding declarations, leading to potential Federal Court cases.