Home / Technology / Social Media Ban Fails: Kids Elude Age Limits
Social Media Ban Fails: Kids Elude Age Limits
11 Mar
Summary
- Social media platforms rebuffing parents reporting underage accounts.
- Under-16 social media ban sees many teens eluding removal.
- eSafety concerned platforms not complying with ban rules.
Australia's strict under-16 social media ban is encountering significant hurdles as some platforms are reportedly not complying with the regulations.
Parents attempting to report underage accounts are finding their efforts rebuffed. One mother shared her frustration after Snapchat declined to act on her report for her 14-year-old son's account, citing his self-declared age of 25. This incident highlights a growing concern that the burden of enforcement is falling back on families.
The eSafety commissioner has acknowledged similar reports and is actively engaging with social media companies, including Snap, to ensure compliance. The commissioner expressed concern that some platforms are not taking adequate steps to verify age.
Investigations are underway as a recent survey indicated that a substantial majority of teens surveyed remained on social media platforms despite the ban's implementation. Snapchat cited technical challenges and suggested age verification at OS or app store levels as more effective solutions.
Following media inquiries, Snapchat eventually shut down the previously reported account after the parent provided identification. This has led to calls for platforms to implement more robust age verification technologies rather than relying solely on parental reports.
