Australian government investigates social media platforms for under-16s ban compliance failures
Consensus Summary
Australia’s government is investigating five major social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube—for potential noncompliance with a world-first ban on under-16s using social media. The ban, enforced since December 10 2024, requires platforms to prevent minors from creating or maintaining accounts, with fines of up to A$49.5 million for violations. Investigations reveal systemic failures, including allowing repeated age-verification attempts, failing to block banned users from creating new accounts, and inadequate reporting mechanisms for underage users. Over 4.7 million accounts were deactivated in the first two days, with Meta reporting 550,000 closures and Snapchat/TikTok combined closing 665,000. A parent survey found 31% of children still had accounts post-ban, down from 49%, while 70% of under-16s retained access on major platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The government accuses platforms of undermining the law, with Minister Anika Wells threatening severe penalties if companies fail to comply. While platforms like Meta acknowledge challenges in age verification, critics argue their current systems are insufficient and intentionally designed to evade regulation.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube are under investigation by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner for potential noncompliance with the under-16 social media ban, announced on or before February 2025.
- The ban, effective December 10 2024, prohibits users under 16 from holding accounts on platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Threads, X, Reddit, Twitch, Kick, and excludes Discord, WhatsApp, and Roblox.
- Over 4.7 million accounts were deactivated or restricted in the first two days after the ban took effect, according to data from the Australian government.
- Meta (Facebook/Instagram) reported closing 550,000 accounts under the ban, while Snapchat and TikTok combined closed 665,000 accounts.
- The eSafety Commissioner’s report (released February 2025) alleges platforms allow underage users to repeatedly attempt age verification until they pass, fail to block banned users from creating new accounts, and have poor reporting mechanisms for underage users.
- Fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$33.9 million) apply to platforms found to have systematically failed to comply with the ban.
- A survey of 900 Australian parents found 31% of children still had social media accounts after the ban, down from 49% before the ban.
- The Communications Minister Anika Wells stated platforms must obey Australian laws if they operate in the country, and eSafety will ‘throw the book’ at companies found in violation.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant mentioned ‘teething issues’ with age-assurance technologies when the ban was introduced, and that platforms would be assessed against an updated definition including platforms with infinite scroll, feedback features, and time-limited elements (e.g., disappearing stories).
- The eSafety Commissioner’s report will detail examples of platforms allowing underage users to repeatedly attempt age assurance and failing to provide clear mechanisms for parents to report underage users.
- The government revealed that the definition of platforms covered by the ban would be updated to include 10 platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, Reddit, YouTube, Kick, Twitch) and exclude Discord, Google Classroom, WhatsApp, and Roblox.
- A survey of 900 parents found 70% of under-16s who had accounts on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok before the ban still maintained access, with 63.6% of Facebook users, 69.1% of Instagram users, 69.4% of Snapchat users, and 69.3% of TikTok users retaining accounts.
- The Guardian reported that facial age estimation had higher error rates for users close to the 16-year-old cut-off, and platforms may have known some children aged 14 or 15 would receive false results of being judged over 16.
- Meta stated in a response that age verification is a challenge for the industry, particularly at the 16-year-old boundary, and called for robust age verification and parental approval at the app store and operating system level.
- The article highlights that the tactics used by social media platforms to undermine the law are ‘right out of the big tech playbook’ according to Minister Anika Wells.
- The report found platforms were making it easy to find ways to circumvent age-assurance measures.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC and The Guardian both report that platforms allow underage users to repeatedly attempt age verification, but only The Guardian specifies that this includes platforms encouraging attempts even when declared age is under 16.
- The Guardian reports that 70% of under-16s retained accounts on Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, while ABC does not provide a specific percentage for these platforms but states that many children still had access.
- ABC states that the eSafety Commissioner’s report will be released on Tuesday, while The Guardian and NewsCorp Australia do not specify an exact date but imply it was released in February 2025.
- The Guardian reports that TikTok and Google did not respond to requests for comment, while ABC and NewsCorp Australia do not mention this detail.
- ABC mentions that the definition of platforms covered by the ban was updated to include 10 platforms, while The Guardian lists 10 platforms but does not explicitly state that the definition was updated.
Source Articles
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