Lemon8 and โคYopeโ 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 โAustraliaโข prepares to enforce its new โขage verification lawโ targeting under-16 users, according to a speech by โฃeSafetyโข Commissioner Julie inman Grant. The legislation, setโข to take effect December 11, requires platforms deemed “age-restricted” to takeโข “reasonable steps” to โฃprevent children under 16 from creating accounts.
The lawโค mandates that platforms “continually assess โขwhether they meet theโ definition of โฃan age-restricted socialโ media platform.” eSafety will begin issuing notices โtoโ the ten identified platforms on December 11, requesting evidence of underageโ account numbers as of December 9,โค and subsequently, updated โfigures every six months.
Ms. Inman Grantโ highlighted the pressures faced by current “generation alpha” compared to previous generations, โขstating, “Targeted algorithms,โ persistent notifications, and toxic popularity meters are stealing their attention for hours โevery day.” She emphasized the law’s purpose: “to giveโ gen alpha, โand the next generation, a break from the persuasive and pervasive pull of social media.”
While the law carries โpotentialโ fines of $49.5 million for non-compliance, Ms. Inman Grant cautioned โthat immediate penalties are unlikely, โคnoting that “regulation rarelyโ acts โฃfast.”
