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Australia’s Teen Social Media Ban Praised at UN

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promoted his government’s world-first ban on social media for teens under 16 during an event in New York, calling the move a necessary step to address the “constantly evolving” risks digital platforms pose for children.

The law, which takes effect in December, makes Australia the first country to prohibit those under 16 from creating social media accounts. Instead of blanket age verification, the government wants platforms to use artificial intelligence and behavioral data to estimate user ages.

“It isn’t foolproof, but it is a crucial step in the right direction,” Albanese said at the Protecting Children in the Digital Age event on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised the measure, saying she was “inspired by Australia’s example” and that Europe would be “watching and learning” as it considers its own policies.

Australia’s center-left government introduced the law citing research linking excessive social media use among young teens to mental health issues, bullying, misinformation, and harmful body image content. The minimum age for accounts will rise from 13 to 16.

Albanese framed the law as both sensible and overdue, saying it would give teens “three more years of being shaped by real-life experience, not algorithms.”

U.S. Appeals Court Upholds Most of California’s Child Social Media Law

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A U.S. federal appeals court has largely upheld California’s law restricting social media platforms from offering “addictive feeds” to children without parental consent, in a ruling that could reshape how tech giants design online experiences for minors.

What the Law Does

  • Applies to: Social media companies like Google, Meta (Facebook, Instagram), Netflix, and X (formerly Twitter).

  • Core restriction: Makes it illegal for platforms to serve algorithmically personalized feeds to children unless parents explicitly approve.

  • Rationale: California lawmakers argue such feeds can harm children’s mental health by encouraging compulsive scrolling and social comparison.

Court’s Ruling

  • The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected most of NetChoice’s claims that the law violates the First Amendment by limiting how companies “speak” to children.

  • Judge Ryan Nelson, writing for the panel, said NetChoice failed to show that unconstitutional applications of the law outweighed constitutional ones.

  • Age verification rules (taking effect in 2027) were deemed too early to challenge.

  • However, the court did block a requirement that default settings hide likes and comments from children, saying it was not the least restrictive way to protect mental health.

Industry Pushback

  • NetChoice, a trade group representing 41 major tech companies, said it was “largely disappointed” by the decision.

    • Paul Taske, its litigation co-director, argued the law “usurps the role of parents” and expands government control over lawful online speech.

  • NetChoice has also filed lawsuits against similar state-level internet restrictions across the U.S.

What’s Next

  • The case now returns to U.S. District Judge Edward Davila in San Jose, who had previously blocked parts of the law.

  • For now, California retains one of the strongest legal frameworks in the U.S. aimed at curbing social media’s impact on children.

Broader Context

  • The ruling adds momentum to state-led efforts to regulate youth access to social media amid rising concerns over depression, anxiety, and addiction linked to digital platforms.

  • Tech firms argue these laws could fragment the internet and undermine innovation, while advocates say they are essential to protect minors in an era of algorithm-driven engagement.

Poland to Report Elon Musk’s Chatbot Grok to EU over Offensive Political Comments

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Poland announced plans to report Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok, developed by xAI, to the European Commission following offensive remarks made about Polish politicians, including Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The move reflects growing concerns about political bias, hate speech, and the accuracy of AI chatbots since the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022.

Grok had recently removed posts flagged as “inappropriate,” including antisemitic content and praise for Adolf Hitler, following complaints from X users and the Anti-Defamation League. Earlier, a Turkish court blocked some Grok content after it insulted President Tayyip Erdogan, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and religious values.

Poland’s digitization minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, told RMF FM radio that the government will ask the European Commission to investigate Grok’s offensive comments. He expressed concern about the rising level of hate speech driven by algorithms and stressed that ignoring this issue would be a grave mistake.

Gawkowski emphasized, “Freedom of speech belongs to humans, not to artificial intelligence,” and said the Ministry of Digitisation will take action under existing regulations, possibly seeking fines against X, Musk’s company that owns the platform.

xAI, the chatbot’s developer, did not respond immediately to requests for comment.