Australia wants to sell its social media ban to the world – but are the measures even working?

Australia is attempting to promote its social media ban for under-16s to other countries. The ban, which has been in effect for four months, aims to protect younger users. However, a recent report indicates that the ban may not be fully effective, as two-thirds of teenagers are still using the targeted platforms. The eSafety commissioner's office previously released a report suggesting that age assurance technology could be implemented privately and effectively. The current situation raises questions about the actual impact and efficacy of the ban in Australia.

Meta, TikTok, and Google are under investigation by the Australian government for allegedly failing to enforce the country's ban on social media use by children under 16. Australia's online safety office initiated the investigation after a survey revealed that a significant percentage of children continue to access these platforms despite the ban. The survey of 900 Australian parents indicated that 31% of their children still maintain social media accounts, a decrease from 49% before the ban. The government is concerned that these tech companies are not adequately preventing underage users from accessing their platforms. The investigation aims to determine if the companies are complying with Australian law.

Australia's eSafety Commissioner is considering legal action against Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube for allegedly failing to adequately prevent children under 16 from using their platforms. New laws took effect on December 10th banning young children from holding accounts. A compliance report released by the eSafety Commissioner indicated that while 5 million accounts were deactivated, many Australian children still retain or create accounts, bypassing age verification systems. The watchdog is gathering evidence to determine if these platforms have taken "reasonable steps" to comply with the law. The platforms could face fines up to $33 million (USD) for systemic failures, and a decision on court action is expected by midyear.

Australia's internet regulator, eSafety, has reported that major social media companies are failing to adequately enforce the country's ban on users under 16, which went into effect in December. The legislation prohibits those under 16 from using ten platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube, to protect them from harmful content. eSafety's report identified poor practices, such as allowing underage users to re-verify their age, insufficient prevention of new underage accounts, and inadequate reporting mechanisms. While platforms have taken some action, the regulator expresses concern that it is not enough and will now begin enforcing the restrictions and gathering evidence of non-compliance. The regulator must prove platforms haven't taken reasonable steps to prevent underage accounts, not just that some still exist.