X Faces Irish Investigation Over Child Safety and Age Verification Failures

Ireland's media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, announced on Tuesday it has launched a formal investigation into the social media platform X. The probe will scrutinize the company's compliance with Ireland's Online Safety Code, focusing on alleged failures to effectively protect children from harmful content.

Probe Focuses on Age Verification and Parental Controls

The investigation centers on whether X has implemented adequate measures to prevent minors from accessing adult material, including pornography and extreme violence. According to the commission, the probe will specifically examine:

• The effectiveness of X's age verification systems, with the regulator noting that simple self-declaration of age is not considered a "robust" method under the code.
• Whether the platform's parental control systems meet minimum legal requirements, are easy for users to find, and are presented as required during the new user registration process.

Coimisiún na Meán highlighted an apparent contradiction in X's policies, which permit users under the age of 16 to create accounts while also allowing adult-only content to be hosted on the platform. This is the first formal investigation launched under the new Online Safety Code.

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Significant Penalties and Broader European Scrutiny

If found to be in breach of the code, X could face a significant financial penalty. The Irish regulator has the authority to impose a fine of up to 10% of the company's relevant annual turnover or €20 million, whichever is greater.

Digital Services Commissioner John Evans stated that platforms allowing both minors and adult-exclusive video content must ensure that children cannot access such material under normal circumstances. The investigation in Ireland reflects a wider regulatory trend across Europe, with countries including France, Germany, Spain, and Italy also advancing measures to hold social media platforms accountable for child safety.