00:00Australia's online watchdog has launched investigations into major tech platforms,
00:05including Facebook and YouTube, over possible breaches of its social media ban for under-16s.
00:10In its first report since the law took effect in December,
00:14the e-Safety Commissioner said it had identified a number of poor practices across social media platforms.
00:23These include weak-age verification systems,
00:26loopholes allowing under-16 users to create accounts and inadequate tools for parents to report violations.
00:33The regulator warned that while some steps have been taken,
00:37there are concerns that platform may not be doing enough to comply with the law.
00:42Australia introduced the ban to protect children from harmful content and addictive algorithms.
00:47In the first month alone, its regulator reported nearly 4.7 million accounts were restricted or removed.
00:54Tech companies including Meta and Snapped have criticised the rules but say they are working to comply.
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