The accounts of more than 415,000 Australian Snapchat users, identified as being under 16, have been locked or disabled as part of the platform’s compliance with the under-16s social media ban. This move, announced in a blog post by Snapchat on Monday, reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to adhere to the regulations set forth by the Australian government.
As of the end of January, Snapchat confirmed it had taken action against accounts belonging to users who either declared an age under 16 or were believed to be underage based on age detection technology. The company stated, “We continue to lock more accounts daily.”
Challenges in Enforcing the Social Media Ban
Snapchat is one of ten platforms required to restrict access for users under 16, following a directive issued in December last year. The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, praised the initial success of the ban, noting that 4.7 million accounts across these platforms were disabled or removed in the early days of implementation.
However, reports have surfaced indicating that Snapchat’s facial age estimation can be easily bypassed by tech-savvy teenagers. The company acknowledged “significant gaps” in enforcing the ban, highlighting the limitations of current age verification technologies.
“There are real technical limitations to accurate and dependable age verification,” Snapchat stated, noting that facial age estimation technology is only accurate within two or three years of a person’s actual age.
Technical and Regulatory Hurdles
Snapchat’s reliance on facial age estimation without a “liveness test” has drawn criticism. The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, emphasized the need for improved age assurance technology, urging platforms to deploy these tools correctly to avoid false positives.
Inman Grant explained, “What’s really important is that these companies are deploying them in the right way. And if they don’t have the right settings, or they’re setting the calibrations too high, that is where they’re going to likely have false positives.”
While the government initially named ten platforms for compliance, all platforms with Australian users are expected to assess their need to comply. The eSafety commissioner’s focus remains on the larger platforms, where the majority of young users are concentrated.
Implications and Future Considerations
Snapchat has voiced concerns that teenagers may migrate to alternative, less regulated messaging apps, potentially undermining the ban’s effectiveness. The company noted, “While we don’t yet have data to quantify this shift, it’s a risk that deserves serious consideration as policymakers evaluate whether the law is achieving its intended outcomes.”
In response to these challenges, both Snapchat and Meta have advocated for app store-level age verification to enhance compliance efforts. Meanwhile, the eSafety commissioner plans to issue notices to companies regarding their adherence to the ban.
Despite the reported 4.7 million account deactivations, it is understood that this figure includes not only accounts identified as underage but also historical, inactive, and duplicate accounts. The ongoing adjustments and evaluations highlight the complexities of implementing a comprehensive social media age restriction policy.
As the situation evolves, stakeholders will need to balance technological capabilities with regulatory demands to ensure the safety and privacy of young users in the digital landscape.
