Australia's Age Verification Rule Pushes Snapchat to Act

Post by : Bianca Suleiman

In response to Australia's upcoming ban on under-16s using social media, Snapchat has started requiring age verification from its teenage users nationwide. This initiative comes ahead of the enforcement date of December 10.

Effective from Monday, users are prompted to confirm their ages via an Australian bank account, a government-issued ID, or by submitting a selfie that will be assessed by an external partner to estimate their age. Accounts will be locked for those who cannot verify their age or are found to be under 16 when the law goes into effect.

These new regulations place the onus on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Non-compliance with the age restrictions could lead to significant penalties for any site allowing under-16s to maintain accounts post-deadline. Despite expressing disagreement with the ban, Snapchat has affirmed its commitment to abide by local legislation.

Users are encouraged by the company to download their data promptly, as access may become challenging once the enforcement starts.

Additionally, 10 other platforms, such as WhatsApp, Discord, Pinterest, and Lego Play, have been granted exemptions from the initial phase of the law, though authorities have stated that this list is subject to change.

Australia's restrictions are gaining international scrutiny as various governments aim to protect children from online dangers. New Zealand is also considering similar measures, while the Netherlands advises parents to restrict social media for children under 15.

As one of the strictest regulations implemented globally, the coming weeks will challenge major platforms to reliably verify user ages on a large scale and assess the impact of these measures on how teenagers engage online.