Meta, TikTok Don Gree Obey Australia Under-16 Social Media Ban

Big tech companies like Meta and TikTok don talk say dem go obey Australia new law wey ban pikin under 16 years from using social media, but dem warn say di new law go hard to enforce. From December 10, Australia go force platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok make dem remove any user wey never reach 16 years old. People around di world dey watch to see if di new rule go work as other countries dey worry about di wahala wey social media dey cause. Both TikTok and Meta wey be Facebook and Instagram papa company talk say di ban no go easy to monitor, but dem still gree to obey am. TikTok Australia policy boss, Ella Woods-Joyce, yarn for Senate say dem go follow di law and do wetin di government want.

Dem talk say on paper, di ban na one of di strictest for di world, but as di date dey near, Australia still dey rush to figure out how dem go enforce am. TikTok warn say di ban fit push small pikin go “dark corner” of Internet wey no get protection. Meta policy director, Mia Garlick, talk say dem still dey face many wahala as dem try remove thousands of users under 16 before di deadline. She talk say di matter get plenty engineering and age-check challenge, but di goal na to comply with di law. Officials talk say companies no go need verify everybody age, but dem must take “reasonable steps” to detect and remove underage users or face big fine up to Aus$49.5 million (US$32 million). Tech companies don join mouth criticize di law, call am “vague,” “rushed,” and “problematic.” YouTube even talk say di law well-intentioned but no go really make pikin safer online. Australia online watchdog still mention say WhatsApp, Twitch, and Roblox fit also join di ban list.