Australia’s online regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, has requested that social media companies disclose information about the number of children using their platforms and how they are enforcing age limits. The commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has given eight companies, including facebook, Instagram, youtube, TikTok, Snap, Reddit, Discord and Twitch 30 days to respond to her request. The findings will be published once received.
Notably absent from the list of platforms contacted by Inman Grant is X owned by Elon Musk. Inman Grant stated that implementing age limits for social media could be a possibility in the future. She emphasized the need for a multi-pronged approach to keeping children safe online and supporting their digital resilience and critical reasoning skills.
Inman Grant highlighted an ongoing conversation about the potential harmful effects of social media on children. Research conducted by eSafety shows that nearly two-thirds of 14 to 17-year-olds have been exposed to potentially harmful content such as drug use and self-harm on these platforms. However, she also acknowledged that teenagers derive many benefits from social media.
Obtaining accurate data on the number of underage users and their ages is crucial in this conversation according to Inman Grant. While most platforms already have age limits set at 13 years old or older, she wants to understand how these platforms detect and remove underage users and whether these measures are effective.
Research from UK sister agency Ofcom revealed that half of children aged three to 12 use at least one social media app. This indicates that current measures for determining age are being circumvented by kids. Therefore it is important for companies to implement robust age assurance mechanisms.
Both major political parties in Australia support introducing age verification for social media platforms as a means of protecting young users from potential harm online. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton expressed concern over negative impacts such as self-harm among young girls due to exposure on social media while Labor Prime Minister Anthony Albanese backed a ban in theory and announced funding for an age verification trial.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas plans to impose a ban on all children under 14 years old accessing social media in his state. He appointed former Chief Justice Robert French to examine legal pathways for this ban due to concerns about its impact on children’s well-being.
The issue surrounding child safety online continues with regulators seeking more transparency from tech giants regarding their efforts in enforcing age restrictions on their platforms.