Ireland's Regulator Investigates X Age Controls

Ireland's Coimisiún na Meán, the national media regulator, has commenced a formal investigation into the social media platform X. This action stems from concerns regarding X's adherence to Ireland's Online Safety Code, specifically concerning provisions for age assurance and parental controls.

The investigation highlights potential shortcomings in X's implementation of age verification mechanisms. The regulator has indicated that age verification based solely on self-declaration is not considered adequate to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content, such as extreme violence or pornography.

Furthermore, the regulator is scrutinizing the effectiveness and accessibility of parental control features offered by X. Concerns have been raised that these controls may not be robust, may lack minimum required standards, or could be difficult for users to locate and utilize effectively.