Australian Children Bypass Social Media Age Limits, Study Finds

A new report by eSafety found that more than 80% of Australian children between 8 to 12 regularly bypass social media age restrictions.

A new study by Australian online safety watchdog eSafety found that about 84% of Australian children between the ages of 8 and 12 regularly bypass social media age restrictions. The findings raise concerns over the country’s upcoming ban on social media for children under 16.

The platforms reviewed all require users to be at least 13 years old to sign up, but rely solely on self-identification for age verification. While TikTok, Twitch, Snapchat, and YouTube employ proactive tools to detect underage users, other platforms do not, despite having the technology to do so.

The report emphasizes the need for stronger age-verification tools: “This may require time and engagement to detect a child under 13, and in that time the child may be exposed to risks and harms,” the authors wrote.

According to the study, only 13% of children had their accounts shut down for being underage.

The study draws on data from eight social media companies: Google, Facebook, Twitch, Discord, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. The report also includes a national survey of 1,504 children aged 8 to 15 about their social media use.

The study found that YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat were the most popular platforms among children under 13, with Snapchat being the most widely used.

This study is particularly relevant as Australia prepares to implement a blanket ban on social media sites for children under 16. “The findings of this report will be a helpful input to guide next steps,” said eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

YouTube, the only platform rumored to be exempt from the upcoming ban, officially allows children under 13 to access its “YouTube Kids” service, which must link to a family account with parental supervision.

“There is still significant work to be done by any social media platforms relying on truthful self-declaration to determine age with enforcement of the government’s minimum age legislation on the horizon,” said Grant.