Australia's Age Verification Bill for Social Media Platforms Becomes Legislation; Adulthood Social Credit System in Disguise
Australia's Social Media Age Verification Law: The Uniparty's New Surveillance regime
The Australian government, with the help of both the Labor and Liberal parties, has pushed through the Social Media Age Verification Bill without much debate. This new law is so draconian, it's unmatched by any other country in the world.
But is it a good thing? I reckon it might stir up the slumbering masses against the looming authoritarian state. It's all about forcing us onto the biometric digital ID blockchain.
Craig Kelly soundly warned this on X.
The Prime Minister, well, let's just say more lies are flowing from them.
Even the Greens understand the gravity of this new law. Now that says a lot.
Senator Sarah Hanson-Young spoke out against the 'Social Media Minimum Age' bill, likening it to the dystopian state George Orwell describe in his novel 1984. He got the year wrong, but the parallels are chilling.
Senator Malcolm Roberts shed some light on the Labor-Liberal Uniparty's move to pass the law.
Truth be told, this law is the start of a slippery slope towards Orwellian control. By setting a minimum age of 16 for social media account holders, the government is exerting more control over our digital lives. Major global platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and former Twitter are required to comply. The law mandates that these companies implement "reasonable steps" to verify the age of users, with penalties of up to AUD 50 million for non-compliance.
The question remains, is it possible to effectively prevent underage users from circumventing age checks? While technology can work well, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Concerns about privacy and data collection by age verification software providers have also been raised.
Despite these challenges, the law aims to protect children's online wellbeing and has drawn international attention, with countries like Greece proposing similar measures. The European Union is considering proposals inspired by Australia's approach, such as defining a "digital adulthood" age requiring parental consent or restriction for social media use.
So, as we head towards 2025, when this law is set to take effect, it's worth considering the implications. The industry will have to invest in age assurance systems, representing a significant regulatory and technological shift. And, as Australia's legislation continues to influence global discussions, it's essential to stay vigilant and demand transparency from our politicians.
Sources:
- Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024
- Explanatory Memorandum to the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024
- Social Media Minimum Age Bill
- Australia's Social Media Age Verification Bill: A New Era of Online Safety
- Age Verification in Australia: A Review of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024
- The Social Media Minimum Age Bill, now law in Australia, requires major global platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Twitter to implement age verification systems, with penalties of up to AUD 50 million for non-compliance.
- As the legislation influences global discussions, it's essential to stay vigilant and demand transparency from our politicians, particularly as the European Union considers proposals inspired by Australia's approach.
- Senator Malcolm Roberts pointed out that the law is the start of a slippery slope towards Orwellian control, while Senator Sarah Hanson-Young compared it to the dystopian state George Orwell described in his novel 1984.
- The law aims to protect children's online wellbeing but concerns about privacy and data collection by age verification software providers have also been raised, as technology may not offer a one-size-fits-all solution for preventing underage users from circumventing age checks.
