On Tuesday, Australia called on social media platforms to use “minimally invasive” methods, including artificial intelligence (AI) and behavioral data, to verify the age of users. This is part of the country’s pioneering effort to enforce a worldwide-first ban on social media for those under the age of 16, which begins in December.
Governments and technology firms around the globe are closely monitoring Australia’s initiative to become the first nation to block social media use for people younger than 16.
Australia’s internet watchdog, the eSafety Commissioner, issued guidance for companies, recommending they use “the most minimally invasive techniques available” to comply with the law passed in November.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant clarified that social media platforms are not required to perform blanket age-verification checks. She stated that companies can reliably infer a user’s age using their existing data.
“We know that they have the targeting technology to do this,” she told a media briefing. “They can target us with deadly precision when it comes to advertising; certainly they can do this around the age of a child.”
She added that adults “should not see huge changes” and that “it would be unreasonable if platforms re-verify everyone’s age.”
In July, Grant extended the ban to include Google-owned YouTube, following complaints from Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok about an earlier decision to exempt the popular video-sharing site. Google and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In February, eSafety reported that 95% of teenagers aged 13 to 15 had used at least one social media platform since January 2024, but warned that the actual numbers could be much higher.
Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells urged social media companies to take “reasonable steps” to detect and deactivate underage accounts, prevent them from re-registering, and provide a clear complaints process for their users.
“We cannot control the ocean, but we can police the sharks and today we are making clear to the rest of the world how we intend to do this,” Wells told reporters. She added that there was no excuse for non-compliance, as the platforms are among the world’s largest and most well-resourced companies with the capability to meet the requirements.
Amid growing concern over the impact of social media on young people’s mental health, Australia’s ban became law in November 2024. Companies were given a year to comply and face a December 10 deadline to deactivate the accounts of underage users.
