Australia hardens its stance. The regulator threatened on Tuesday, March 31, with sanctions against technology giants such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, accused of violating the social media ban for minors under 16 years of age in the country, one of the strictest in the world.
In December, Australia became the first country to ban social media for minors to protect them from the harmful effects on their mental health. Subsequently, other nations such as Indonesia and Brazil have followed this example, while in France the Parliament is currently examining a project along the same lines.
Three months after the law came into force, the Australian online safety body indicated that more than five million Australian minor user accounts have been deleted.
“Major concerns”
However, the eSafety Commission noted that a “significant proportion of Australian children” continue to access banned platforms, raising “concerns” over Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.
“Australia’s social media laws, which are at the forefront globally, have not failed. But the tech giants are not enforcing them,” said Communications Minister Anika Wells. “Australia will not allow the social media giants to take us for fools.”
“None of this is difficult for innovative companies worth billions of dollars,” he added. “If they want to operate in Australia, they must comply with Australian laws.”
Australia will decide on possible sanctions around mid-2026. Companies could face fines of more than €25 million if found guilty of violating the regulations.
The implementation of this ban is being observed globally, especially by countries seeking to adopt similar measures.
Since March, Brazil has linked minors’ accounts to those of their parents, and several European countries are studying similar laws. In France, the Senate is debating a ban on social networks for children under 15 years of age.
Read alsoThe ban on social networks for minors under 15 years of age makes its way in France
In Indonesia, where there are some 70 million minors, social media was banned for minors under 16 last week. The government has warned Google and Meta for non-compliance with the measure.
“A challenge for the entire sector”
In Australia, platforms are responsible for verifying that users are 16 years or older. Some companies use artificial intelligence tools to estimate age from images, and in certain cases users can upload identification documents.
Although most companies have pledged to comply with the law, they warn that it could push teens toward less regulated and potentially more dangerous platforms.
They must demonstrate that they have taken “reasonable measures” to prevent access by minors, although it is not yet clear how the government will interpret this requirement.
Meta, parent of Facebook and Instagram, stated that accurately verifying the age of users is “a challenge for the entire sector.”
The group indicated that it will continue to invest in measures to detect and eliminate accounts of minors under 16 years of age.
Snapchat claimed to be “fully committed” to law enforcement and noted that it has blocked 450,000 accounts to date.
TikTok declined to comment, while YouTube did not respond to requests.
Reddit has filed an appeal against the Australian ban, which it considers “legally erroneous.”
According to the company, age verification raises serious privacy concerns, as the collection of personal data carries risks of leaks or cyberattacks.
This article is an adaptation of its original in French
