Australia Implements Global Ban on Social Media Access for Minors
Australia has begun the first phase of a world-first ban, restricting access to major social media platforms for children under 16. Technology companies are required to develop tools to deactivate existing accounts of underage users and prevent the creation of new accounts.
Effective December 10, the new regulation mandates that designated platforms must deactivate all accounts belonging to users under 16 and prevent them from holding an account until they reach that age. The Australian Cyber Security Commission must be satisfied that platforms have taken "reasonable measures" to comply, or they may face fines of up to $49.5 million.
The initial list of affected applications includes Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick. The Threads app is also included as it requires an Instagram account for use.
The government confirmed that the list is "dynamic and subject to change," as additional platforms may be added if children begin using them after the ban is enforced and similar concerns arise. The Cyber Security Commission indicated that if children migrate to other services like Lemon8, those platforms could also be included in the ban, and they would be expected to remove underage user accounts.
Conversely, platforms such as Roblox, YouTube Kids, and Google Classroom, as well as job platforms like LinkedIn, are exempt from the ban. The Cyber Security Commission stated that the ban "will not apply to Pinterest." There remains the possibility of requiring other platforms to comply in the future, as Cyber Security Commissioner Julie Inman Grant noted that each platform must "self-assess and determine if it is required to comply."
Age verification methods will be left to the discretion of each platform, with the government requiring that asking for ID "not be the sole means of age verification."
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has refrained from disclosing how it will identify underage users, citing concerns that such information could help teenagers circumvent the ban. Snapchat stated it will rely on "account behavior and registered birth date." TikTok announced it will implement "a multi-layered approach" to age verification based on "a set of techniques and signals," promising to provide further details soon.
For current underage users, some platforms will offer options before account closure. On "Facebook" and "Instagram," teenagers will have the option to download all their photos and messages, freeze their account until they turn 16, or permanently delete their account. TikTok announced it will allow users to deactivate or delete their account while enabling the archiving of existing content. Snapchat will permit the downloading of photos and messages, deactivating the account "until the user can prove they are over 16," which could affect approximately "440,000 users in Australia aged 13 to 15."
The government stated that individuals over 16 who are mistakenly classified as underage "will need to go through an appeals process."
Meta's platforms will utilize age verification through facial recognition service Yoti, which requires users to record a short "selfie" video or provide government ID. Snapchat users will be able to appeal by verifying their credit card, providing government ID, or taking a "selfie" for age estimation. TikTok stated it will offer "a simple appeals process," but has not yet revealed its method. Other platforms like "YouTube" and "Kick" have not announced their appeal mechanisms yet.
