social media

Yes, the Australian government is introducing legislation to ban social media access for those under 16. The law targets social media platforms like Meta and TikTok with penalties for non-compliance, but there will be no penalties for underaged users or their parents who manage to access the platforms. The move aims to mitigate harm to children's mental health.

TikTok introduced text-based posts in July 2023, allowing users to share written content with up to 1,000 characters, customizable appearance, and interactive features like comments and duets. Instagram retired its 'swipe-up' link feature in Stories in August 2021, replacing it with interactive link stickers that offer more creative control and were initially rolled out to verified accounts and those with 10,000+ followers.

Vietnam is preparing to mandate identity verification for social media users on platforms like Facebook and TikTok to combat scams and cybercrime. This law, an amendment to the Telecommunications Law, would require confirmation of identity during account registration. In the Philippines, there have been discussions about 'voluntary' SIM registration by telcos, which is often linked to social media account creation, though a mandatory law was previously vetoed.