Google and Meta Platforms appealed to the Australian Government on Tuesday through written submissions to delay a bill imposing a social media ban for children under 16 years old.

In their submissions, both Google and Meta contended the bill should be delayed until the Government’s Age Assurance Trial results are obtained. The Age Assurance Technology Trial would “include methods that verify a user’s identity credentials to accurately determine their age” using “biometric markers or digital usage patterns.”

Meta’s submission outlined several key points, including asserting the bill will “needlessly burden parents and young people” and “disempower Australian parents,” expressing doubts regarding the government’s proposition to place the burden on social media companies. Further, the submission considers the “omission of YouTube and online gaming fatal to the Bill’s purpose.” However, the government has proposed legislative rules to exclude messaging apps, gaming services, and health and education-related services such as Google Classroom and YouTube. Meta’s submission additionally voices reservations about the new definition of ‘age-restricted social media platform,’ the “unclear technical requirements with significant penalties.” It raises concerns of “overlap and duplication” with the Privacy Act.

Google’s submission proposed the bill “adopt a more targeted approach to covered services,” noting “digital platform regulation is complex and requires careful regulation,” expressing concerns that the speed of the bill’s development has “not allowed for adequate contemplation of the complexities,” and the “rushed approach” has “failed to allow adequate consultation with experts, industry, parents and caregivers and young people themselves,” suggesting it “does not reflect good regulatory practice.”

Australia’s Labor government introduced the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024 on November 21, 2024, which sought to implement a minimum age of 16 for social media. The proposed bill, which received bipartisan support, passed in the House of Representatives with 102 votes to 13 and will proceed to the Senate for debate. The bill was referred to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, with submissions of opinions closing after one day.

An amendment to the Online Safety Act 2021, the bill would place responsibility on social media companies, rather than parents or children, to ensure reasonable steps are taken to prevent children under 16 from the platforms. The broadened definition of ‘age-restricted social media platform’ noted in section 63C would include Facebook and Instagram owned by Meta Platforms, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, and X (formerly Twitter). Significant penalties could be imposed upon digital platforms for systemic breaches, such as failing to adhere to the minimum age obligation and incurring fines of up to AUD $49.5 million.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese championed the legislation as a “landmark reform,” acknowledging, “We know some kids will find workarounds, but we’re sending a message to social media companies to clean up their act.”

Several organizations and individuals have expressed uncertainty and opposition to the bill, including Amnesty International Australia, Human Rights Law Centre, UNICEF Australia, Elon Musk, and X.

Despite reservations about the bill expressed in submissions, a YouGov public data poll found an increase in Australian citizens’ support for the bill, with 77 percent backing the proposed ban.