Jakarta, INTI - Australia's internet regulator announced it is investigating five major social media platforms for alleged violations of new rules banning users under the age of 16. The five platforms are Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, Google’s YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok.
Australian Minister for Communications, Anika Wells, said that the government is gathering evidence. Then, with the evidence, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner can bring the case to the Federal Court.
The announcement also marks the government's first public assessment of compliance with the rules, which are being scrutinized by many global policymakers. The allegation contrasts with previous statements from the government that said social media platforms were cooperating when the policy was first implemented in December.
Meta and Snap have expressed their commitment to complying with the policy, with Meta adding that government trials of age verification technology have shown a "natural margin of error" around the 16 age cutoff. TikTok declined to comment, while Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Some Platforms Are Said to Be Not Sufficiently Serious
eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said that while initial steps have been taken, monitoring has shown that some platforms may not be sufficiently serious about meeting their legal obligations, prompting the regulator to shift to an enforcement approach.
The policy passed by the Australian government requires social media platforms to make concrete steps to restrict access from underage users. If these platforms do not comply, they will face fines up to AUD 49.5 million (approximately USD 34 million).
The government still identified several compliance gaps, such as practices that allow children to repeat the age verification process until they pass, and ineffective reporting mechanisms for underage accounts. Furthermore, some platforms have not yet utilized age inference technology, which estimates age based on online activity, and only implement verification, such as photo-based checks, after users attempt to change their age, rather than upon registration.
This situation leaves opportunities for children under 16 to create accounts simply by claiming to be older. In fact, nearly a third of parents reported that their underage children continued to have social media accounts after the regulations were implemented, and two-thirds of them said the platforms failed to verify their age.
Conclusion
Australia's internet regulator is investigating five major platforms, Meta Platforms' Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Google's YouTube, for alleged violations of its ban on users under 16, with potential fines of up to AUD 49.5 million. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said compliance remains weak and the regulator is now turning to enforcement. The regulators find that age verification loopholes are allowing minors to create accounts
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