The Greens are calling on Labor and the Liberals to commit to banning the big tech giants from data harvesting and targeting advertising to young people, as part of any digital safety reforms.
Their call comes amidst the debate over legislating an age limit ban on social media use, despite overwhelming expert evidence that a ban will not make platforms safer and could actually have significant negative impacts for young people.
The Joint Select Committee on Social Media and Australian Society is also holding further hearings this week, examining the merits of an age limit in law and hearing expert evidence on other policy reforms which would keep young people and the broader community safer online.
Greens Spokesperson for Communications and Deputy Chair of the Joint Select Committee, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“Parents are rightfully very concerned about the impact of social media on their children. The Greens agree that reform is needed to rein in the dangerous business models of the tech giants that are causing harm to young people and our communities.
“Parliament should have the courage to tackle big tech where it hurts – their predatory business models that profit off young people’s internet use and vulnerabilities. This means a ban on big tech harvesting the data of young people and targeting them with advertising and dangerous algorithms.
“The evidence to the Joint Select Committee on Social Media has been overwhelmingly that comprehensive reform to force platforms to create safer spaces is needed but that an age ban will not increase safety, and may cause other harms to young people.
“Tech platforms must be held responsible for creating the very spaces that drive division, abuse and conspiracy theories.
“The whole business model of social media platforms is collecting and selling users’ data and exploiting privacy to make massive profits – it’s time to put a stop to it.
“If Labor and the Liberals are serious about tackling social media harms then they will back the Greens proposal to outlaw data harvesting and targeted advertisements to minors, and protect young people from algorithms that push harmful content.
“Just as the EU and the UK have done, some very sensible and simple protections can be legislated now that will not only make platforms safer for young people, but all of us.
“If the Labor Government fails to heed the advice of experts and listen to the evidence the Joint Select Committee has heard, then it will be clear the Inquiry was never a genuine attempt to generate recommendations for best practice policy and regulation.”