More than 80% of Australian teenagers continued using social media three months after the country's ban took effect, according to a study of 408 teens. Inadequate age verification checks allowed minors to circumvent the restrictions.
Australia's social media ban for under-16s, implemented to protect children from harmful online content, has proven largely ineffective. Researchers found that the majority of surveyed teens bypassed the restrictions with relative ease.
Experts say the legislation alone is insufficient to prevent minors from accessing platforms and the content they host. The core issue centers on weak age verification mechanisms that platforms employ, allowing teenagers to create accounts using false information or borrowed credentials.
Specialists argue that a more comprehensive approach is needed to enforce the ban effectively. Current strategies lack the technical rigor and oversight required to deter underage users. Without stronger verification systems and coordinated enforcement efforts between tech companies and regulators, the ban's intended protections remain largely symbolic.
The findings highlight the difficulty of regulating online behavior through legislative means when implementation relies on voluntary compliance from platforms with limited verification infrastructure.
Salesforce is backing HR software company HiBob with a $160 million investment as part of a funding round that values the startup at over $3.2 billion.
A new study shows approximately 33% of UK adults accessed illegal streaming services in the past three months. The piracy costs the sports, TV, and film industries an estimated £1.4 billion annually.
Hong Kong-listed Z.ai posted H1 2026 revenue of $142 million, a fivefold jump year-over-year, driven by explosive growth in its open platform and API business. The Chinese AI firm narrowed net losses to $308 million, down 12% from the prior year period.
Private equity firm Epiris has agreed to purchase UK communications provider Gamma Communications Plc for approximately £1 billion in equity value. The deal represents a significant consolidation move in the UK telecom sector.