What to Know About Australian Age Verification Laws

Introduction

Age verification on social media has become a central policy issue in Australia. The government has amended the Online Safety Act 2021 to introduce a social media minimum age framework (Part 4A), seeking to reduce access by children under 16 to age‑restricted platforms. The topic matters for parents, young people and platforms because it balances child safety with privacy protections and practical verification methods.

Main body

Legislative changes and timeline

Amendments made in late‑2024 to the Online Safety Act 2021 establish a social media minimum age framework. From December 2025 social media platforms in Australia that have age restrictions will be required to take reasonable steps to prevent anyone under 16 from having an account. A specific implementation date noted is 10 December 2025, when platforms are expected to begin enforcing account restrictions for users under 16.

Privacy protections and Digital ID

The law includes a clear privacy protection: users will not be forced to use a government‑accredited Digital ID to prove they are at least 16 years of age. The Act prevents social media platforms from requiring accredited Digital ID services for age verification. Platforms must offer ways for users to confirm they are 16 or older; using an accredited Digital ID service is permitted but optional if a platform chooses to offer it.

Approved and practical verification methods

Parliamentary hearings noted that age verification could involve government‑issued identity documents such as a driver licence or passport. Industry implementations already in progress show a range of methods: for example, some platforms are offering bank‑verified checks that connect to an Australian bank account as a way to verify age without forcing a Digital ID.

Platform action — example from Snapchat

In practice, platforms are beginning to prompt users to verify age. Snapchat has started asking many users in Australia to tap a ‘Verify Your Age’ prompt when they open the app. Snap describes a bank‑verified option that connects to an Australian bank account and emphasises it will always ask users to log into their Snapchat account to verify age and will not request personal information via email or SMS. Accounts identified as under 16 may be locked and eventually deactivated; if a user turns 16 during the three‑year window they can verify to reinstate their account.

Conclusion

The new Australian age verification laws create an enforceable minimum age policy while protecting users from mandatory use of government‑accredited Digital IDs. From December 2025, users and platforms should expect verification prompts and a mix of methods — government ID, bank verification or other options — to demonstrate age. The rules aim to reduce under‑16 access to age‑restricted services while retaining privacy choices for verification.