Australian Social Media Platforms Fail to Block Under-16 Account Creations Despite Sanctions

A recent study has found that social media platforms in Australia have failed to properly implement the initial stage of user age verification, raising questions about the effectiveness of the world’s first law prohibiting platform use by individuals under 16 years old.

The legislation, which took effect in December last year, requires platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok to prevent users under the age of 16 from creating accounts. Companies are obligated to take "reasonable steps" to verify users’ ages through multiple methods.

However, a team of software testers who previously participated in testing age verification systems for the Australian government discovered that none of the platforms requested proof of age when creating 50 trial accounts. These accounts declared the users were 16 years old, the minimum age allowed to register.

The researchers pointed out that the findings reveal a fundamental flaw in the enforcement mechanism. The focus is on the accuracy of image-based verification techniques, while the initial stage—relying on analyzing users’ online activity to estimate their age group—fails to detect accounts requiring further verification.

Andrew Hammond, director of KJR, the company that conducted the tests, stated that none of the trial accounts were asked to verify their age or use age verification tools. He added that all accounts remain active and are spread across nine of the ten platforms subject to the restrictions, including Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.

Hammond also noted that some accounts received advertisements targeted at young audiences, indicating the platforms could estimate users’ age groups. Meanwhile, one account on the platform X received adult content despite being registered as 16 years old.

The study showed that all platforms refused to create accounts for users who declared they were under 16, except for the Australian live streaming platform Kick, which required age proof before allowing account creation.

In response to the study, Snapchat and TikTok declined to comment. Google and X did not respond to requests for comment. Meta, owner of Instagram, stated that the test results do not align with regulatory guidelines, which require escalating official verification procedures when user behavior suggests they may be underage or when accounts are reported.

The Australian eSafety Commissioner affirmed confidence that platforms still possess the technology and resources needed to prevent children under 16 from creating accounts. The commissioner emphasized that a properly implemented multi-stage verification system reduces the likelihood of verification failure.

Although the government announced earlier that approximately 4.7 million suspected minor accounts were deleted during the first month of the law’s enforcement, it has faced ongoing criticism over weak compliance by technology companies.

In March, authorities threatened legal action against five platforms, and last month they announced doubling the maximum fines, accusing some companies of failing to cooperate in enforcing the law.

Conversely, several experts involved in the initial tests argued that the trials did not adequately address realistic evasion methods, such as entering false birthdates, which they identified as the most common tactic used by teenagers to bypass restrictions.