Once again at the end of November 2024, Australian authorities presented A complete ban for children under 16 on social media. And here, Australian children under the age of 12 are easily keen on this ban.

As you know, Australia has approved one of the most strict social media regulations in the world, as it prohibits children under the age of 16 from platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok. It is scheduled to enter into force after a trial period starting in January 2025; The law shows that companies prevent the palace or face fines of millions of dollars.

Despite its widespread support by the public, criticism of privacy advocates and technology companies has extracted concerns about data collection and access to support networks. Supporters argue that it is necessary to protect the mental health of young people, but critics warn that they may push teenagers towards more dangerous spaces online.

A report issued by online safety organizer in Australia found that children are in the country The restrictions of the social media age can easily be overcome, raising fears as the government is preparing to impose a ban on users under the age of 16 by the end of 2025.

The study, which analyzed national survey data and responses from major platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitch, revealed that 80 % of children between the ages of eight to 12 social media used in 2024, although most platforms require users that They are at least 13.

The report found that although all services except Reddit require users to enter a birth process when registering, they have fully relied on self -reported information without additional verification. Well, this … a predictable result, right?

YouTube, which allows users under the age of 13 under the supervision of parents, will be exempted from the next ban.

Some platforms, including Tiktok, have applied tools to detect minor users, where Tiktok has removed more than a million accounts since 2023. However, enforcement is still inconsistent. Meta has argued that applications, not individual platforms, must be responsible for enforcement of the age borders.

These results only go to highlight the important gaps in the current age verification measures that are exploited by children, as Australia moves towards a more stringent regulations to prevent children from accessing social media.