Ireland Launches Formal Probe Into X Over Failing Age Verification Under New Online Safety Code

Ireland's media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, launched the first formal investigation under the Online Safety Code into X's age assurance mechanisms. The inquiry focuses on how the platform protects children under 16 from encountering adult-only content, pornography, and extreme violence. Regulators raised concerns that X's current parental controls are difficult to locate, lack minimum requirements, and aren't properly flagged during sign-up. If found in breach, X faces penalties of up to 10% of its relevant annual turnover or €20 million, whichever is higher. The commission explicitly noted that age assurance based solely on self-declaration is no longer considered an effective measure. "Platforms which are accessible to children and allow adult-only video content, such as pornography or extreme and gratuitous violence or acts of cruelty, must ensure that this content cannot normally be accessed by children by implementing effective age assurance measures." — John Evans