Australia plans to set a minimum age requirement for social media use due to health concerns, but digital rights groups warn it might drive harmful behavior underground.
出于健康考虑,澳大利亚计划设定使用社交媒体的最低年龄要求,但数码权利组织则警告称,这可能会让有害网络活动转入地下。
Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government will run an age verification trial before setting rules later this year.
澳大利亚总理安东尼·阿尔巴内塞表示,他的政府会在今年晚些时候出台相应法规之前,进行年龄验证的相关试验。
He didn't specify an age, but said it would probably be between 14 and 16.
他没有明确指出最低年龄是多少岁,但表示可能会在14岁到16岁之间。
The law would make Australia one of the first countries to set a minimum age.
该法规将使澳大利亚成为世界上首批设定使用社交媒体的最低年龄要求的国家之一。
Similar efforts, like those by the EU, have failed due to concerns about limiting minors' online rights.
欧盟曾做过类似的尝试,但最终由于担心限制未成年人的上网权利而宣告失败。
According to government and industry data, Australia has one of the world's most online populations, with 80% of its 26 million people on social media.
根据政府和行业数据,澳大利亚是世界上上网人数最多的国家之一,其2600万人口中有80%会使用社交媒体。
A 2023 study found that 75% of Australians aged 12 to 17 had used YouTube or Instagram.
2023年的一项研究发现,在12至17岁的澳大利亚人当中,有75%的人使用过YouTube或Instagram。
Albanese announced the age restriction plan during a parliamentary inquiry into social media's impact on teens' mental health.
阿尔巴内塞在一项针对社交媒体对青少年心理健康的影响的议会调查中宣布了这一年龄限制计划。
"This is a scourge. We know that there is mental health consequences for what many of the young people have had to deal with. The bullying that can occur online, the access to material which causes social harm."
“这是一场灾难。我们知道,许多年轻人不得不面对的问题会对他们的心理健康产生影响。可能在网上会发生霸凌行为,以及获取会造成社会危害的材料。”
The inquiry raised concerns about enforcing a lower age limit, and whether it might harm young people by pushing them to hide their online activity.
该调查引发了民众对实施较低年龄限制的担忧,以及这是否会迫使年轻人隐藏自己的在线活动,从而伤害到他们。