Social media firms urge caution on early Australia under-16 ban data

Major social media companies urged the Australian government to exercise caution when interpreting early data on the impact of a ban on under-16 users, as lawmakers consider stricter penalties for non-compliance. Representatives from Google, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok appeared before a Senate inquiry to discuss multiple studies showing roughly 80% of minors continued to use social media platforms after the ban was implemented in December.

While the eSafety Commissioner is examining potential legal action against companies they accuse of slow-walking compliance, the inquiry is also reviewing proposed amendments that would double maximum penalties and grant the regulator greater investigative powers. YouTube's head of government relations emphasized that the available data is still preliminary, with the government's last compliance figures dating back to March.

Meta's head of public policy noted that age verification technologies are still developing and that the figures may not accurately reflect underage users who may have accessed platforms without official accounts.