Probe into tech giants for possible age ban breach
Five social media platforms are under investigation for potentially breaching Australia’s world-first social media age limit.
Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube may have allowed children under 16 to access their apps after age restrictions came into force in December, Communications Minister Anika Wells said in a statement.
The online watchdog found that some children were allowed to create new accounts immediately after their previous accounts were deactivated or to repeatedly attempt age verification until they passed that age.
Other platforms do not provide appropriate ways to report underage users, the eSafety Commission said in its first compliance report since the ban came into force.
Ms Wells said the alleged breaches were unacceptable.
“The kinds of tactics we’re seeing employed by social media platforms to undermine Australia’s world-leading legislation are straight out of big tech’s playbook,” he said.
“If eSafety finds that these companies are systematically failing to meet their legal obligations, I expect the commissioner to throw the book at them.”
Systematic violations of age restriction laws can be punished by fines of up to $49.5 million.
When the ban went into effect, some children said their accounts were not deactivated.
Others reported that they were able to bypass age verification with relative ease.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has long acknowledged that not every young person will be kicked off social media, but that the restrictions will be enough to be effective.
A number of other countries, including Austria, France, Denmark, Spain, Greece and Malaysia, are considering following suit and banning children from social media.
Indonesia also began blocking those under 16 from having accounts on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, X, Bigo Live and Roblox on Saturday.
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