Maldives plans social media ban for children under 16

Male: Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has announced the government will ban children under 16 from accessing certain social media platforms to protect them from cyberbullying, online grooming and other digital threats, a state media outlet reported.

Speaking at a weekly press conference on Monday (local time), Muizzu said protecting children from online harm had become a major concern for parents in the Maldives and abroad, reports Xinhua news agency, quoting state media outlet PSM News.

The government would study regulations in other countries, including Australia, as it prepares the new policy, he noted.

The proposed ban would target specific applications considered risky for children, Muizzu said, adding that the government would consult relevant technology companies and work with platform owners to bring their services in line with Maldivian law.

The measure would require amendments to existing cyber safety laws, according to the president.

Muizzu said the restrictions would not hinder children’s education or their ability to learn online, but would help create a safer digital environment.

The government aims to finalise the regulatory framework and introduce the ban within a year after public consultations, PSM News reported.

If implemented, the Maldives will follow Australia in banning social media for children under 16 years. Canberra had announced the ban last year.

As of January, over 4.7 million accounts belonging to children were deactivated in the first days of Australia’s world-first social media ban for under-16s.

Data released by the government’s eSafety commissioner had revealed that social media companies removed access to around 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children under 16 in the days after the ban took effect on December 10.

The Australian government is also investigating five social media platforms for failing to comply with the country’s world-first social media ban for children younger than 16.

In its first report on the social media minimum age obligation, the federal government’s eSafety Commissioner said on Tuesday that it has “significant concerns” about the compliance of the social media giants, including Facebook and Instagram, with the laws that came into effect in December.

Under those laws, social media companies that fail to take reasonable steps to prevent children younger than 16 from accessing their platforms face fines worth up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($33.9 million).

IANS