Google Says Australia Law on Teen Social Media Use 'Extremely Difficult' to Enforce

Alphabet-owned Google on Monday said it would be "extremely difficult" for Australia to enforce a law prohibiting people younger than 16 from using social media, warning that the government's initiative would not make children safer online. 

Governments and tech firms around the world are closely watching Australia, which in December will become the first country to block the use of social media by people younger than 16.

Social media platforms will not be required to conduct age



verification procedures; instead, they will be asked to use artificial intelligence and behavioural data to reliably infer age.

In a parliamentary hearing on online safety rules on Monday, YouTube's senior manager of government affairs in Australia, Rachel Lord, said the government's programme was well-intentioned, but it could have "unintended consequences."

"The legislation will not only be extremely difficult to enforce, it also does not fulfil its promise of making kids safer online," Lord said.