Irish media regulator opens formal investigation into X over child safety and age assurance controls

In a latest tech update, Ireland’s media watchdog, Coimisiún na Meán, has opened a formal investigation into social media platform X to determine whether the company is doing enough to protect children from viewing age-inappropriate content.

The first of its kind inquiry launched under Ireland's statutory Online Safety Code, focuses on X's compliance with rigorous provisions governing age assurance and parental controls.

Under the code, age assurance is required to ensure that children do ​not see videos "depicting pornography or extreme/gross ​and gratuitous violence or acts of cruelty," the ‌regulator ⁠said in a statement announcing the investigation.

It said concerns had arisen in relation to the "potential ineffective implementation of ​age assurance ​mechanisms ⁠by X," adding that age assurance based solely on ​self-declaration is not considered effective.

"A ​concern ⁠exists that the parental controls put in place by X may not ⁠be ​effective, do not have ​minimum requirements, are hard to locate," it added.

Regulators stated that they are examining whether the platform maintains effective mechanisms to prevent minors from accessing adult-only video material, including pornography and graphic violence.

Under the safety code, age verification protocols that rely solely on user self-declaration are deemed insufficient.

Additionally, the probe will scrutinize X's parental control systems, assessing whether tools designed to help guardians manage children's experiences are properly implemented, easily accessible, and presented during account creation. 

Because X permits users under the age of 16 while simultaneously hosting adult content, regulatory guidelines mandate robust safety architecture.

If found in violation of the code, X could face severe administrative financial sanctions, including penalties of up to 10% of its relevant annual global turnover or €20 million, whichever is greater.

The regulatory move aligns with a broader wave of heightened scrutiny across European capitals targeting tech giants over digital child safety standards.