Social media ban test: Social media age verification systems are easily beaten with one simple lie

I pretended to be a teenager and tried to make accounts on Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok after the social media ban’s implementation. Here is how it went.

I tried to create accounts on Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube pretending to be a teenager.

Based on the results, my trust in the social media ban has been strengthened in some places and dishevelled in others.

The worst of the lot was Meta, which did not surprise me.

I attempted to create an Instagram account and, in the age bracket, said I was born in 2011. Picture: Grace Baldwin

I attempted to create an Instagram account and, in the age bracket, said I was born in 2011. Sure enough, a simple popup blocker appeared on the screen.

“We couldn’t create an account for you,” it read.

I exited the blocker. I changed my year of birth to 2004 – and was immediately allowed to continue making the account.

This threw me off. It seemed stunningly foreseeable, almost too much so. All I needed to do was lie?

Meta is allegedly home to some of the most advanced technological brains in the world – but apparently they couldn’t conceive of a better age verification system?

Come on.

On Snapchat and TikTok, I had a slightly more promising experience. I was asked to submit my age at the first stage of making the account, and when I said I was born in 2011 I was knocked back.

On Snapchat and TikTok, I had a slightly more promising experience. Picture: Grace Baldwin

I was asked to submit my age at the first stage of making the account, and when I said I was born in 2011 I was knocked back. Picture: Grace Baldwin

Importantly, I was then unable to go and change my year of birth to try again. I couldn’t do anything else on those apps.

On YouTube, I was not asked for my age at all.

As far as I’m concerned, the problem is that this ban relies on honesty. In order for it to be effective, teenagers need to be truthfully disclosing their ages.

Not to be overly pessimistic, but I don’t have a lot of faith in the collective honesty of a nation of teenagers. I don’t judge it – I probably would lie myself, if I were in their position.

It was never going to be a seamless implementation – but Meta needs to do better.

If Meta doesn’t sort itself out, I fear this will never work.

Originally published as Social media ban test: Social media age verification systems are easily beaten with one simple lie