Snapchat will be included in world-first Australian reforms to restrict teenagers’ social media use

There has been a twist in Australia’s world-first reforms to restrict teenagers’ social media use after fears a messaging service could find a loophole.

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Snapchat will be included in world-first reforms in Australia to restrict teenagers’ social media use after a backlash over fears the messaging service could find a loophole to escape the big changes.

News.com.au has confirmed exclusively that the new legislation, to be unveiled on Thursday, is designed to capture Snapchat.

Snapchat lets users exchange photos, videos and messages and leaves younger teenagers being subjected to a constant stream of messages and updates 24-7.

Concerns it would not be included exploded last week after Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said Snapchat could fall within the definition of a ‘messaging service’ and therefore be exempt from the age limit.

“Snapchat under the Online Safety Act, depending on how it’s defined, could fall within that definition (of a messaging service) … We are very prepared to go through having a process of criteria and seeing how this fits against it.”

Shadow Communications Minister David Coleman insisted that Snapchat must not be exempted from the laws.

“For many Australian families, Snapchat has had a devastating impact on their children,” Mr Coleman said.

“The idea of having social media age limits without those limits applying to Snapchat is outrageous. It is extraordinary that the Minister is saying that Snapchat could be exempted from the laws.

“The Minister must rule out exemptions for Snapchat today.”

The Albanese Government is introducing world leading legislation to establish 16 as the minimum age for access to social media.

Queensland Catholic Secondary Principals Association director Dan McMahon had also warned that Snapchat should not be allowed to skirt the ban.

“I’ve gotta say I’m a bit gobsmacked by that, I find that extraordinary,” Mr McMahon told ACA on Thursday.

“Of all the social media platforms that I deal with … Snapchat is one of the most common ones.

“Not everyone on Snapchat is an online bully, but in my experience every online bully uses Snapchat.

“It’s just such a great tool to weaponise harm.”

Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland MP will introduce the Albanese Labor Government’s new social media reforms to parliament on Thursday.

“The Albanese Government is introducing world leading legislation to establish 16 as the minimum age for access to social media,” she told news.com.au.

“This reform is about protecting young people and letting parents know we’ve got their backs.

“Social media has a social responsibility for the safety and mental health of young Australians.

“The legislation places the onus on social media platforms, not parents or children, to ensure protections are in place.

“Ultimately, this is about supporting a safer and healthier online environment for young Australians.”

But concerns remain over the effectiveness of social media bans for teenagers with predictions many will find a way to dodge the new rules.

Concerns remain over the effectiveness of social media bans for teenagers with predictions many will find a way to dodge the new rules.

The legislation will introduce tough new penalties of up to $50 million dollars for companies that systematically breach this legislation as well as violations of enforceable industry codes and standards.

It will also require regulated entities to take reasonable steps to prevent young people under the age of 16 from having an account.

The Minister will be empowered to exclude specific classes of services from the definition, including messaging services, online games, and services that primarily function to support the health and education of users

It will also contain robust privacy provisions, including requiring platforms to ringfence and destroy any information collected.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese first flagged the bans in September insisting the goal was to “get our kids off their devices and on to the footy fields or the netball courts to get them interacting with real people having real experiences.”

“And we know that social media is doing social harm,” he said.

“We want to make sure we get it right, but we want to make sure as well that we act which is why we have said we will introduce legislation before the end of this year.

Mr Albanese said that social media companies needed to show some social responsibility.

Mr Albanese said that social media companies needed to show some social responsibility.

“We need to act as a society. When my son was young this was an issue more than a decade ago,” he said.

“If it was easy it would have been done around the world. But just because something is hard doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try.

“We want to work with parents to work with companies, to work with state and territory governments to make sure that we act in this area.”

The Prime Minister declared in September that “enough is enough” as it was announced the government would bring in age limits for social media accounts for kids to protect against the damage caused by social media giants including Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook.

“We know that technology moves fast. No Government is going to be able to protect every child from every threat – but we have to do all we can,’’ the Prime Minister said.

“Parents are worried sick about this. We know they’re working without a map – no generation has faced this challenge before.”

Originally published as Snapchat will be included in world-first Australian reforms to restrict teenagers’ social media use