Questão de Língua Inglesa

By Helen Livingstone 01 From 10 December, social media companies Australia will have to take “reasonable 02 steps” to ensure under-16s cannot create accounts and that existing ones are removed. The 03 government says the ban, described as a world-first policy, aims to reduce the “pressures and 04 risks” children face online, including design features that keep them screens and harmful 05 content that affects their health. 06 A government study found that 96% of children aged 10–15 used social media, and seven 07 out of ten had been exposed to harmful or inappropriate material, ranging from misogynistic 08 content to violent videos. One seven also reported interactions with adults or older users 09 that raised safety concerns, and more than half said they had been victims of cyberbullying. 10 Ten platforms were initially named: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, 11 YouTube, Reddit and streaming services Kick and Twitch. The government may expand the list 12 and says it will consider whether a platform’s main purpose is social interaction, whether users 13 can interact broadly, and whether users can post material. Some gaming platforms have already 14 introduced age checks, fearing inclusion. 15 Children and parents will not be punished for violating the ban; responsibility falls on 16 companies, which face fines of up to $49.5m for repeated breaches. Platforms must use 17 age-assurance technologies, though the government has not specified which. Suggested options 18 include government IDs, facial or voice recognition, and age inference using online behaviour. 19 Platforms may not rely on self-declared ages or parental confirmation. 20 Meta has announced it will begin removing teen accounts, allowing those mistakenly 21 affected to verify their age with an ID or video selfie. Other companies have not yet detailed how 22 they will comply. Critics question whether age-verification methods are accurate enough, noting 23 that facial assessment tools can be least reliable for the age group they need to detect. 24 Debate continues the ban’s effectiveness. Critics argue it may not reduce online harm 25 since dating sites, gaming platforms and AI chatbots are not included. Others say the ban could 26 isolate teens who rely on social media for support networks. Data-protection concerns have also 27 been raised, as Australia has faced several major data breaches recent years. The 28 government says the law includes strict protections and requires verification data to be destroyed 29 after use. 30 Social media companies reacted negatively to the policy, arguing it will be difficult to 31 implement, easy to bypass and potentially harmful to user privacy. Some say it may push children 32 toward less regulated areas of the internet. Even as Meta began early compliance, it warned that 33 the ban could leave teens with inconsistent protections across the various apps they use. Despite 34 objections, companies such as TikTok and Snap say they will follow the new rules. (Available at: www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyp9d3ddqyo – text specially adapted for this test).