DIY Photography

Your one stop shop for everything photo-video

  • News
  • Inspiration
  • Reviews
  • Tutorials
  • DIY
  • Gear
Search

Submit A Story

Kids under 16 will need parental consent to use Instagram, Flickr under new EU laws

Dec 17, 2015 by Gannon Burgett Add Comment

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

EUFlag

This week, European Parliament voted into place a new law that increases the age of consent for online social media services, such as Instagram, Flickr and Snapchat, from 13 to 16, effectively banning any would-be photographers from sharing their work on social media networks until they reach the age of 16.

The law, which has been heavily protested, is part of a large overhaul designed to promote data protection. But, in practice, the new regulations will likely only create more trouble for the EU and social media companies as a whole.

Join us & sign the petition to stop law which says <16's can't access internet without parent permission. Sign here:https://t.co/fi1EYjabP6

— Anti-Bullying Pro (from charity The Diana Award) (@AntiBullyingPro) December 14, 2015

In accordance with past laws, almost all online services require users to be at least 13 years of age, a number compliant with U.S. and EU. By making it 16 in the EU, while it remains 13 elsewhere, it further complicates the guidelines by which websites need to screen new users.

These are the people who struck the agreement on the EU's #dataprotection package tonight in #Strasbourg. #EUdataP pic.twitter.com/DWehh1HOdu

— Jan Philipp Albrecht (@JanAlbrecht) December 15, 2015

Furthermore, a concern is that the new law will only increase the amount of kids who lie about their age online. In a rebuttal to the new regulations, the Diana Award Youth Board wrote up a rebuttal that stated:

This higher age threshold may incentivise children between the ages of 13 and 15 to lie about their age. Children aged 13 and above have long accessed online services; an artificial and sudden change to this threshold will likely result in many children between the ages of 13 and 15 lying about their ages in order to continue accessing online services – rather than asking their parents to consent

Though the law has passed, compromises were reached before the submission of the law that will enable individual countries to set their own age of consent – down to 13 years old – for online services.

The United Kingdom has already stated it will do just that by keeping its age of consent at 13, a move likely to be followed suit by other members of the EU.

In talks on Data Protection this thorny issue of age of consent for FB etc sorted – Countries can go down to 13 with National Law.

— Lord Kirkhope (@LordKirkhope) December 15, 2015

For countries that choose to follow EU law, penalties for social media companies allowing underage kids to access their platform can be up to 4% of global revenue, an incredible number considering how much money the likes of Facebook, Google, Yahoo and others pull in annually.

Getting back to the issue of lying about age online, the Advertising Standards Authority conducted a survey back in 2013 that found ’83% of the 11 to 15-year-olds whose internet usage was monitored registered on a social media site with a false age.’

So, regardless of whether or not individual countries choose to make their own age of consent or agree to follow EU regulations, the real world impact will likely be minimal. So long as companies continue to ask about age in a passive manner, it rids them of legal liability and instead leaves the responsibility in the hands of the individuals accessing the site (or their parents).

[via The Telegraph]


Image credits: EU Flag by Bob used under CC BY 2.0

FIND THIS INTERESTING? SHARE IT WITH YOUR FRIENDS!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Flipboard
  • WhatsApp

Related posts:

What could possibly go wrong? Facebook is building an Instagram app for kids under 13 Woman wins a lawsuit against video company for filming her without her consent Police detains photographer under anti-terror laws for photographing Hove town hall Clearview AI under fire for “breaking privacy laws”

Filed Under: news Tagged With: age of consent, EU, europe, European, law, Union

Gannon Burgett: from diyphotography.net

About Gannon Burgett

Gannon Burgett is a communications professional with over a decade of experience editing, photographing, and writing content seen through hundreds of millions of pageviews, both online and in print.

« By Popular Demand: Blood, Hands, Notes And A Gift Card
May the Forced Perspective Be with You: How To Shoot a Life Size X-Wing Fighter »

Submit A Story

Get our FREE Lighting Book

DIYP lighting book cover

* download requires newsletter signup

Recent Comments

Free Resources

Advanced lighting book

Learn photography

Recent Posts

  • Kodak could have dominated digital photography
  • Tourists fight over a photo spot at famous Pedra do Telégrafo
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max: First impressions
  • Blackmagic’s new app turns your iPhone into a cinema camera (kinda)
  • Nikon announces Zf shortage (Surprise!)

Udi Tirosh: from diyphotography.netUdi Tirosh is an entrepreneur, photography inventor, journalist, educator, and writer based in Israel. With over 25 years of experience in the photo-video industry, Udi has built and sold several photography-related brands. Udi has a double degree in mass media communications and computer science.

Alex Baker: from diyphotography.netAlex Baker is a portrait and lifestyle driven photographer based in Valencia, Spain. She works on a range of projects from commercial to fine art and has had work featured in publications such as The Daily Mail, Conde Nast Traveller and El Mundo, and has exhibited work across Europe

David Williams: from diyphotography.netDave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.

John Aldred: from diyphotography.netJohn Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

Dunja Djudjic: from diyphotography.netDunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.

Copyright © DIYPhotography 2006 - 2023 | About | Contact | Advertise | Write for DIYP | Full Disclosure | Privacy Policy