Editor’s note: The story has been updated to include Snap‘s response.

Australia's internet safety regulator has escalated scrutiny of major social media platforms, signaling potential enforcement action under its landmark under-16 ban.

Compliance Concerns Trigger Enforcement Push

Australia's eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said authorities are investigating whether Meta Platforms, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:META) Facebook and Instagram, along with Snap Inc.'s (NYSE:SNAP) Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google have breached the country's new rules restricting users under 16.

"While social media platforms have taken some initial action, I am concerned … ​some may not be doing enough to comply with Australian law," Inman Grant said. "We are now moving into an enforcement stance."

Authorities are collecting evidence and could impose penalties by midyear.

Google did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments.

"Three months into the implementation of Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age (SMMA) law, Snapchat remains fully committed …We have locked 450,000 accounts and continue to lock more every day," a Snap spokesperson told Benzinga in an emailed statement.

The platform also said that it has worked constructively with the eSafety Commissioner on the new and untested law, acknowledging that their approach will be iterative and will continue to evolve.

TikTok told Benzinga that it has nothing further to add, as it already “shared its compliance approach” in December.

In an emailed statement, Meta told Benzinga, “We've also been clear that accurately determining age online is a challenge for the whole industry, particularly at the age‑16 boundary where the Government's own Age Assurance Technology Trial noted ‘natural error margins.'”

The tech giant also said that stronger age checks and parental consent should be enforced at the app store and operating system level to better protect teens across all apps, adding it will continue removing under-16 accounts while advocating for a more practical, effective system.

Gaps In Age Verification Raise Red Flags

The regulator identified several loopholes, including weak age checks during sign-ups, repeated attempts at verification and limited use of tools that estimate user age based on behavior.

Officials warned that many children may still be accessing platforms simply by entering false birthdates.

Many parents have reported their under-16 children continue to use social media, with many platforms not even asking for age, according to the watchdog.

Millions Of Accounts Removed, But Risks Persist

Platforms have removed roughly 4.7 million suspected underage accounts and blocked an additional 300,000 sign-ups. Despite that, regulators say enforcement gaps remain significant.

Under the law, companies face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($34 million) and potential reputational damage for violations.

Global Spotlight On Australia's Social Media Ban

Following the ban in Australia, other countries have also followed suit. Australia became the first nation to roll out a social media ban for users under 16 in December.

France followed in January, with its lower house approving a restriction for those under 15. The U.K. has since launched a consultation on introducing similar limits for under-16 users.

Denmark, Greece, Spain and Ireland are also exploring comparable measures, with Spain and Ireland focusing on under-16 restrictions, while Denmark and Greece are considering caps for those under 15.

Meanwhile, a striking 94% of people in Switzerland back stronger protections for children and teenagers on social media.

Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings show that Meta is trending downward across the short, medium and long term, even as its Quality score places it in the 89th percentile.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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