Australia's Social Media Ban Isn't Stopping Kids, Students Say

Australia made history six months ago when it banned kids under 16 from using social media. But young people say the ban isn't working very well. Many students told reporters they still have social media accounts and can easily get around the rules. The government's eSafety commissioner recently surveyed 898 parents about the ban.

The main way social media companies check if someone is old enough is through face scanning technology. This system looks at a person's face and tries to guess their age. One popular service called Yoti is used by TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms. The company says this method is quick and easy for users.

Students discovered they could trick the face-scanning systems in creative ways. One 14-year-old named Vinaya said she used her older sister's face to pass the age check. Another student, Norman, told reporters that his friend printed out a photo of Michael Jackson and used it successfully. The system thought the photo was a real person over 21 years old.

The bigger problem might be that social media companies aren't checking ages often enough. Many students told BTN they were never asked to verify their age when creating new accounts. When the ban first started, 4.7 million user accounts were locked or turned off. But since then, many young people have simply created new accounts without having to prove their age.