Irish media regulator opens formal investigation into X over child access

DUBLIN, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Ireland's media regulator has begun a formal investigation into social media platform X over compliance with provisions on age assurance and parental controls, it said on Tuesday. The regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, has the power to apply a fine of up to 10% of relevant annual turnover under Ireland's Online Safety Code. 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. (Writing by Conor Humphries; editing by William James)