Users of all of these platforms must be 13 and over to have an account, though there are some exceptions.
For example, YouTube has Family Link – when an account is accessible for children under the age of 13 under the supervision of a guardian – and the separate app YouTube Kids, which is specifically made for children.
In the report, usage of YouTube Kids was not included for this reason.
It has been reported that YouTube is likely to be spared from the social media ban when it comes into force.
“The findings of this report will be a helpful input to guide next steps,” said eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant.
Australia’s robust stance on social media for young people is being keenly watched by the rest of the world – including the UK which has not ruled out copying its ban for young users.
In its responses to the study, TikTok and Meta – the parent company of Facebook and Instagram – took the opportunity to criticise the Australian authorities over its stance on YouTube. “This report again shines a spotlight on the government’s decision to give an exclusive carve out to the most popular social media platform for young Australians from the under 16 ban,” said a TikTok spokesperson.
“Australian parents and guardians have a right to know what evidence, if any, supports the government’s decision.”
A Meta spokesperson said they believed the best way to ensure age verification was for a user’s real age to be determined when first using a device’s operating system and its app store, which would then be able to subsequently signal a user’s age to all the social media companies.
