Lemon8 and Yope Among Platforms Facing Scrutiny Under New australian Age Verification Law
CANBERRA – Social media platforms Lemon8 and Yope are among ten services put on notice as Australia prepares to enforce its new age verification law targeting under-16 users, according to a speech by eSafety Commissioner Julie inman Grant. The legislation, set to take effect December 11, requires platforms deemed “age-restricted” to take “reasonable steps” to prevent children under 16 from creating accounts.
The law mandates that platforms “continually assess whether they meet the definition of an age-restricted social media platform.” eSafety will begin issuing notices to the ten identified platforms on December 11, requesting evidence of underage account numbers as of December 9, and subsequently, updated figures every six months.
Ms. Inman Grant highlighted the pressures faced by current “generation alpha” compared to previous generations, stating, “Targeted algorithms, persistent notifications, and toxic popularity meters are stealing their attention for hours every day.” She emphasized the law’s purpose: “to give gen alpha, and the next generation, a break from the persuasive and pervasive pull of social media.”
While the law carries potential fines of $49.5 million for non-compliance, Ms. Inman Grant cautioned that immediate penalties are unlikely, noting that “regulation rarely acts fast.”