Australian lawmakers want FaceBook to have tighter age-limitations
Australian attorney-generals met today to consider placing tighter age limits on Facebook use in Australia. The meeting discussed whether or not children should still be using the extremely popular social networking site and to revisit the debate on R18+ game classifications.
The attorneys discussed whether or not parents should be given legal rights to access their children's Facebook page to ensure that their children are safe from online predators.
The big story about the meeting of Australian attorneys-general happening today (July 22) is that they're going to reconsider Australia's classification system, and might revisit the question of R18+ game classifications. However, it has emerged that the nation's lawmakers will also consider the vexed question of privacy on social networks like Facebook.
South Australian Attorney-General John Rau said it was not unreasonable to give parents assistance to protect and supervise their children in an environment that was largely unregulated and unsupervised.
South Australian Attorney-General John Rau said it was not unreasonable to give parents assistance to protect and supervise their children in an environment that was largely unregulated and unsupervised.
Currently, Facebook only requires users to be 13 years of age to access the social networking site and there are no requirements to provide proof of age.
An options paper placed before the attorneys-general for consideration was the merits of raising the age limit and requires proof of age.
"I can't see why it shouldn't be possible, at least in theory, for the process of signing up and becoming a member of Facebook be age-related," Mr. Rau said before the meeting in Adelaide this Thursday.
"There would need to be some process of verification where age would be required for people to become a member of Facebook in Australia."