Australia's Under‑16 Social Media Ban Fails Age‑Check Test

Australia’s Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 bars users under 16 from platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. A KJR‑led study created 50 dummy accounts that declared a 16‑year‑old age and found that none of the nine major platforms requested age verification, allowing the accounts to remain active and even serving youth‑targeted ads, including pornographic content on X.

Only the Australian live‑streaming service Kick refused account creation without proof of age. The eSafety Commissioner maintains that platforms have the technology to enforce the law, but the study highlights a single point of failure in the initial age‑inference stage. VPN downloads in Australia surged to nearly three times their previous level after the ban, indicating widespread circumvention. More than half of surveyed parents were aware of their children bypassing the restriction, with about a third tolerating it.

The ban has drawn international attention. A Tsinghua University report on global social‑media restrictions cites Australia as a case study and recommends a tiered regulatory approach combined with digital‑literacy education. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the Australian law and signalled that India is examining similar measures. Critics argue that stricter verification could erode privacy, while proponents stress the need to protect minors from potential harms.