Australia’s online platforms are failing to implement age checks for users, rendering the world-first teen social media ban ineffective, a study found. The ban, which mandates that platforms bar people under 16 years from having accounts, has been widely criticized.
Age Checks Prove Ineffective
The study, conducted by a team that advised the government’s rollout of the curbs, found that platforms did not ask for age proof on any of the 50 accounts it opened after the law came into force and on which it declared the age as 16. This lack of age verification allows underage users to access the platforms, despite the ban.
The ban has been in place since December, and the government has recommended using multiple checks to determine users’ age. However, the platforms have been criticized for not doing enough to enforce the ban, with many underage users still able to access the platforms.
One platform, Australia-based live-streaming platform Kick, refused to let users create an account without proof of age. However, other platforms, including Meta’s Instagram, Snap’s Snapchat, TikTok, and Alphabet’s YouTube, did not require age verification.
The study’s findings highlight the need for more effective age verification measures to be put in place to protect underage users from accessing social media platforms.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
