Creating a social media account in Australia remains simpler than new legislation suggested. According to a Reuters report, the study revealed flaws even at the initial age verification stage implemented by platforms.
The test results showed that profiles registered as belonging to users aged 16 were activated without any age confirmation, casting doubt on the effectiveness of the measures taken. Since December, social services such as Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube have been required to prevent the creation of accounts by individuals under 16. The legislation requires companies to use various methods to verify user ages.
However, the tests conducted showed that the initial control is not working properly. Researchers were able to create 50 profiles on nine out of ten platforms covered by the law. All these profiles indicated an age of 16, and none of them were required to provide proof of their age.
According to the study, the problem arises even before image-based checks. The primary screening was supposed to assess the user's age based on their online activity and direct suspicious cases to more thorough verification. Andrew Hammond, director of the testing company KJR, which conducted the original test in 2025, stated: 'Age confirmation should have been requested, but we were never asked to verify our age or use any age confirmation measures.'
The created accounts remained active throughout the testing period. Some of them received advertising targeted at young audiences, indicating that the platforms recognized the stated age. In another case, a profile created on the X network was exposed to pornographic content. Of all the assessed services, only Kick required confirmation before account registration.
Key findings of the study include: 50 accounts remained active after registration; only Kick blocked registration without age verification; test accounts received targeted youth advertising; and one profile on X encountered pornographic content. In response to Reuters, Meta stated that the test did not fully follow the regulatory body's guidelines. In the company's view, official age verification occurs when behavioral indicators suggest a user may be a minor, or when the account receives a complaint.
During the project, consultants insisted that the tests also model typical situations among teenagers, such as providing a false date of birth to bypass restrictions. As Colin Gannon, CEO of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children in Australia, noted in an interview with Reuters, what is currently observed is that bypassing restrictions has become a preferred strategy for young people.
The Australian regulator remains confident that gradual checks will be able to mitigate the identified shortcomings. Subsequent rounds of testing must demonstrate whether platforms can address the discovered gaps.
