SYDNEY: Australia plans to make social media companies obtain parental consent for users under the age of 16 and threaten fines of up to A$10 million (US$7.5 million) for internet platforms which fail to comply, under draft legislation published on Monday.
Social media companies, which include anonymous forums like Reddit and smartphone dating apps like Bumble, would also be required to take all reasonsable steps to determine users’ ages and prioritise children’s interests when collecting data, the Online Privacy Bill said.
The new proposed rules would put Australia among the most stringent countries in terms of age controls for social media, and build on efforts to rein in the power of Big Tech following mandatory licencing payments for media outlets and plans to toughen laws against online…
