06:03 AM EST, 11/26/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google ( GOOG ) and Meta Platforms ( META ) are asking the Australian government to delay a bill that will ban the use of most forms of social media for children under 16, Reuters reported Tuesday.

The companies are asking for more time to reassess the potential impact of the ban, according to the news outlet.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's government wants to pass the bill by the end of the parliamentary year on Thursday, according to the report.

Google ( GOOG ) and Meta urged the government to wait for the results of an age-verification trial before going ahead, Reuters reported. An age-verification system may include biometrics or government identification to impose a social media age cut-off.

Meta said the bill is "inconsistent and ineffective" in its current form, according to Reuters.

The law will force social media platforms to ensure the age-verification protections, otherwise companies could be fined up to AU$49.5 million ($32.1 million), according to the report.

Google ( GOOG ) and Meta did not immediately respond to MT Newswires' request for comment on the matter.

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