Media watchdog to investigate X over parental concerns

The Irish media watchdog Coimisiún na Meán has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X, sparked by parental concerns over its age assurance measures and parental controls. This marks the first formal probe under Ireland's Online Safety Code, which came into effect in July 2025.

Coimisiún na Meán's platform supervision team raised concerns about the potential ineffective implementation of age assurance mechanisms by X. Under the Online Safety Code, X must ensure children are protected from viewing explicit content like pornography, extreme and gratuitous violence, or acts of cruelty. Furthermore, given X's allowance of adult-only content and its accessibility to children under 16, the company is required to provide robust parental controls to enable parents and guardians to monitor their children's exposure to such material.

Coimisiún na Meán is concerned that X's current parental controls may be ineffective, lack mandatory standards, are difficult to find, and are not sufficiently highlighted to new users during the sign-up process, as stipulated by the Code. If X is found to be in violation of the Online Safety Code, it could face fines amounting to 10% of its annual turnover or €20 million, whichever is higher.

The investigation will assess whether X has implemented effective age assurance measures, as self-declaration alone is deemed insufficient. It will also scrutinize the effectiveness of X's parental controls, whether the company appropriately directs users to these systems, and ensures that the controls are easily accessible and highlighted to users.

John Evans, Digital Services Commissioner at Coimisiún na Meán, emphasized that any age assurance based solely on self-declaration is inadequate. He reiterated that platforms allowing users under 16 must provide parental controls under parental control, ensuring their effectiveness, easy accessibility, and user awareness.

Coimisiún na Meán has initiated five other investigations into platforms established in Ireland within the past year under the EU Digital Services Act. Additionally, the watchdog is involved in four joint investigations opened by the European Commission. In July last year, X announced the introduction of new age assurance measures to comply with Irish, UK, and EU regulations, which included age assurance using self-declaration, legacy verified accounts, account creation dates, and user-provided email addresses and social connections to estimate age.

The company also planned user-involved age verification options, such as uploading a live selfie or submitting a government-issued ID.