Summary:
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant announced that legal action might be pursued against major social media platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube—for failing to sufficiently prevent children under 16 from accessing their services. Since a law banning accounts for this age group took effect on December 10, approximately five million accounts have been deactivated, but many children still managed to create accounts.
Inman-Grant expressed "significant compliance concerns" with half of the ten platforms reviewed, citing evidence they did not take adequate steps to enforce the age restrictions. Violations could lead to fines of up to A$49.5 million (around $33 million).
Communications Minister Annika Wells criticized the non-compliant platforms, suggesting they are trying to undermine Australia’s pioneering legislation. Both Meta and Snapchat claimed to be working to comply with the law, with Snapchat reporting the suspension of 450,000 accounts. Meanwhile, TikTok remained silent on the matter.
Experts predict that courts will assess whether the platforms’ measures to verify age are reasonable, potentially setting significant legal precedents. Additionally, Reddit has filed constitutional challenges against the ban, arguing it infringes on free speech rights in Australia, with hearings scheduled to begin soon.
