Snapshot 5:Tue, Mar 31, 2026 10:46:04 AM GMT last edited by Edward

Australia Probes Social Media Giants Over Teen Ban

Published 2 days ago

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Above: A photo illustration of social media apps displayed on a phone with the eSafety Commissioner website in the background, taken in Indonesia on Dec. 8, 2025. Image credit: Algi Febri Sugita/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

The Spin

To ensure the success of Australia's teen social media ban is working, and platforms that dragfail theirto feetcomply must face serious consequences. eSafetyCompanies hassuch caughtas Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube usinghave loopholesthe —means liketo lettingobserve kidsthese retryrules, ageyet checksthe untileSafety theyCommissioner gethas areasonable 16+suspicion resultthey —are proving Big Tech won't self-regulatenot. TheseIf platformsso, have the capabilityregulator towill complyhold today,them and escalating penalties up to $49account.5 million make the choice simple.

Anika Wells on Facebook eSafety Commissioner

The eSafety Commissioner's latest reports suggest that Australia's teen social media ban looks tougher on paper than in practice, —with the government shifted from praising platforms toseemingly threateningviolating them,the yetrestrictions noat fineswill areand imminent.children Around 7 in 10 parents say their kids still haveaccessing accounts,. exposingThis a massive enforcement gap. Blockingrisks fiveundermining millionthe accountswhole soundsinitiative, impressiveespecially untilwhen youreports realizesuggest athat 14-year-oldno canfines stillare log in after a platform demanded a costly legal letter just to close the accountimminent.

The Register Crikey

Metaculus Prediction

There is a 27% chance that the EU will require mandatory age verification on social media or AI before 2027, according to the Metaculus prediction community.