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SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS are urging the Australian government to delay laws that would ban children under 16 years old from using their websites until next year.
A representatives for some the the major social media platforms told the Australian senate that the platforms, politicians and industry are still not aware of how the ban will work and said that the roll out should be postponed.
Managing director of Digital Industry Group Inc, which represents X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok Sunita Bose said the Parliament would wait until an independent evaluation of the technologies, commissioned by government, should be published first.
The report’s deadline is set for June 2025.
A failure to introduce frameworks to be in line with the legislation banning the use of social media among those under the age of 16 comes with the possibility of fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (€31.1 million).
It seems likely to be passed by the Australian Parliament by Thursday, with the support of the major parties. The legislation take effect a year after the bill becomes a law, to allow for the platforms to develop the framework.
Bose took questions from Senators today, with many questioning the safety of such platforms among young people.
While the social media representative said the platforms were safe, one senator asked why the algorithms do not prevent harmful material from being directed to children.
Algorithms have been accused of keeping technology-addicted children connected to platforms and of flooding users with harmful material that promotes suicide and eating disorders.
“Your platforms have the ability to do that. The only thing that’s stopping them is themselves and their greed,” the senator said.
Bose said that the algorithms were in place to protect younger people, which includes settings to filter out certain content – such as nudity. She added that there is consistent investment to improve these systems.
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That has to be the longest article I didn’t read.
@Jason Ebbs: exactly what they want. The headline will stick in your mind though.
Seaspiracy on Netflix.
Stunned…..
https://g.co/kgs/Us1NVr
@Mark O’Donohoe: just watched this – no more fish for me!
@Patricia: pretty sad but to be honest if you watch any documentary on industrial farmed produce from any source (meet, poultry, fish) you would be left wondering what you would feel comfortable eating.
@John Egan: vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds and very happy and healthy doing so
@Aedín: im sure it is, would 6 billion people be able to do the same
@Mark O’Donohoe: I haven’t eaten a morsel of meat or fish since I watched that, followed by conspiracy. I’m done.
Can we not have the small Irish boat as a symbol on fish products, like the guaranteed Irish symbol.
Give people the choice to pay a bit more for a more sustainable fishing method.
Ultimately, only a boycott on fish will force the fishing industry and government to implement changes.
@Ian Downes: that’s an ideal solution. Sadly the industry is anything but ideal. Cant see it happening unless the whole industry as it is collapses.
The fishing industry is always left behind. Lost most of the rights coming into Europe because we didn’t know/ want what we had.
Now, an advanced society realise what we let go.
Totally overfishing by everyone. The negotiations come up every December and the only sector that looses out every year are the fish
Great article
I see this rag isn’t happy the EU have started to plunder our waters.
@HonestGrump: The plundering of our waters began a long time ago
Last year decided to go “meet free Mondays” where I’d have veg only… apparently a kilo of meat uses like a thousand litres of water. Then moved to “fish free Fridays” as I knew about over fishing. Will I have a world changing impact? Probably not..but if I can help a lil bit, without drastically changing my life? I’ll give it go!
(This is coming from a prepper btw)
@The Kev in Kevlar: you need to learn how to spell before you can comment. The standard of English and commentators is very poor on this website. Including reporters. Just take moment reread and then publish
@The Kev in Kevlar: as they say.. lots of people doing they’re best imperfectly rather than a few doing things perfectly
@Aedín: **** their best
@Keith Rankin: hahaha you come at me for spelling rather that my point? Eat you troll food and go back under your bridge…try harder next time darling
@Aedín: underrated comment, full credit
Dont eat fish tis full of plastic.
Also, after Fukushima went (literally) nuclear, the sheer amount of chemicals is the Pacific,now leaching into the Atlantic has jumped a lot…
Seaspiracy on Netflix well worth a look. I won’t be eating fish anymore. The impact fishing is having on stocks, other animals and even the climate is substantial. Very long article but very good!
have your say