From WhatsApp and Instagram disruptions in Pakistan to child social media ban in Australia, here’s everything we covered at Digital Rights Monitor (DRM) this week.
Read our weekly news roundup.
PAKISTAN: WhatsApp, Instagram face disruptions
WhatsApp and Instagram faced widespread disruptions across the country on Sunday.
WhatsApp users faced difficulties in uploading and receiving media files and voice notes, while a number of Instagram users were unable to refresh their feed and access messages on the platform.
The outages were particularly severe in Karachi, according to reports received by Digital Rights Monitor (DRM). Many users are still facing problems while sending and receiving images on WhatsApp.
The disruptions came as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters hit the road for their protest scheduled for Sunday.
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AUSTRALIA: Tech companies concerned over bill banning child social media use
Tech giants have called on the Australian government to delay the bill aimed at banning social media platforms for children under 16. The bill was introduced in the parliament last week and has become the subject of a heated debate in the tech sphere.
Meta and Google have said that the piece of legislation requires more time to determine its impact. The bill is expected to be signed into law this week, which will make Australia the first country to implement the toughest measures on children’s use of social media.
In their submissions, Google and Meta have suggested that the government should wait for the outcomes of the trial of the age-verification system that it is planning to enforce.
According to the government, the age-verification system may comprise biometrics or official identification to prevent under-16s from accessing social media platforms.
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UK: Police forces withdraw from X amid content worries
A number of police forces across the United Kingdom (UK) have withdrawn from X, as concerns mount regarding the nature of content being promoted on the popular social media platform, according to a survey by Reuters.
The forces that have quit using X include West Midlands Police, Lancashire Police, and Derbyshire Police, among others. West Midlands Police, which is among Britain’s largest police forces, reduced sharing updates on X by 95 per cent, according to the survey.
Lancashire Police, on the other hand, has stated, “We understand that, as the digital landscape changes, so too does our audiences’ channels of choice.” For more than 10 years, X has served as a major channel of communication for police forces, government, and public institutions in the UK.
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AUSTRALIA: Social media banned for children
The Australian government has passed into law a bill banning social media for children under 16, making the country world’s first with the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech.
The bill was passed by the Australian parliament today, Friday, a day after it was approved by the Senate. The law targets leading social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, which could be fined up to $33 million for failure to comply with the new regulations.
Social media platforms will have to enforce measures to ensure the prevention of accounts belonging to children aged under 16 years. The legislation was open to consultation for only a day and received 15,000 submissions.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said the law addresses parents’ worries related to the harms on online platforms. “Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them.”
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