Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube are under investigation for potential non-compliance with Australia’s world-first social media ban for under-16s, with the eSafety Commissioner flagging “major gaps” in how platforms are enforcing the law.
The watchdog’s first compliance report, released Tuesday, found that while platforms had taken some initial steps – including deactivating more than 4.7 million accounts in the ban’s first two days – significant problems persist nearly four months after the laws took effect.
Among the concerns: platforms were allowing children who had already declared themselves underage to repeatedly attempt age verification, failing to prevent new account creation, and lacking effective reporting mechanisms for underage users.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the regulator was shifting to an “enforcement stance,” with platforms facing civil penalties of up to $49.5 million for non-compliance.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said she expected eSafety to “throw the book” at any company that had systematically failed to meet its obligations.
The government last week also moved to broaden the ban’s scope to capture platforms with features like infinite scroll, likes and disappearing stories.
More to come
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David Swan is the technology editor for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. He was previously technology editor for The Australian newspaper.Connect via X or email.From our partners
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
