Age-verification failures found among platforms covered by Australia’s under-16 social media ban
A study has found that several social media platforms covered by Australia's forthcoming under-16 social media ban are failing to verify the ages of their users, with researchers reporting they were never once asked to confirm how old they were while setting up accounts. The findings matter because the ban is intended to keep younger children off major platforms, and the effectiveness of that policy hinges on companies being able to reliably establish users' ages.
The research suggests a significant gap between the legislation's requirements and the age-assurance measures actually in place across the platforms it targets. The article highlights that testers were able to create accounts without encountering any age-verification checks, raising questions about how the ban will be enforced in practice once it comes into effect.
- Study finds platforms under Australia's under-16 ban failing to verify ages.
- Researchers were never asked to confirm their age when signing up.
- Findings cast doubt on how the ban will be enforced.
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Originally published by PC Gamer as “‘Not once have we been asked to verify our age’: Study suggests companies falling under Australia’s under-16 social media ban are failing to verify accounts”.