Australian social media ban marred by weak platform checks, tech providers say

Problems enforcing Australia's teen social media ban reflect social media platforms' weak deployment of tools available to run age checks rather than the limits of the technology, an industry body representing the tech suppliers said.



The comments come as regulators step up enforcement warnings against some of the world's largest technology companies regarding Australia's social media ban of users younger than 16, since December, the world's first such measure.



"The issue is not capability, it is application," Mr Iain Corby, executive director of the Age Verification Providers Association (AVPA), in a statement.



Early shortcomings showed a need for stronger expectations and enforcement, rather than that age assurance technology did not work, it added.



Australia's eSafety Commissioner is investigating Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Google's YouTube, TikTok and Snap over suspected breaches of the ban.



Platforms face fines of up to A$49.5 million for every breach, and the government says it is gathering evidence to support Federal Court action if compliance does not improve.