Australia is set to become the first nation to ban social media for under-16s. With Instagram’s introduction of ‘teen accounts’ in the UK, could more legislation be on the horizon? Monika Sobiecki has been quoted by leading technology news and information website TechInformed, warning that teenagers could evade the restrictions.

The restrictions rely upon social media companies being able to implement age verification technologies. We have yet to see effective technological measures that protect children’s privacy and are not trivially evaded by determined teens. The laws fail to tackle the underlying problems with social media platforms, which is that they are built on addictive algorithms designed to maximise user engagement and the targeting of advertising to generate revenues. The laws are an empty gesture if they are not accompanied by proposals for more systemic change — for example, a parallel version of the platform for children, potentially on a paid-for subscription model.

You can read the full article in TechInformed here.

Monika is a partner in our Media and Information Law team. She has a specialist practice focusing on all aspects of data protection and information law. She is passionate about the protection of digital rights as human rights.