Australia Calls on Social Media to Verify Users’ Ages

Australia has urged social media platform developers to use “minimally invasive” methods to verify the ages of young users.

Such methods take into account data obtained from AI, as well as behavioral data and information collected through targeting technologies — for example, which pages a person visits, their communication style, and activity within the app.

At the same time, this does not mean checking the age of all users. The main goal is to restrict access to social networks for those who have not yet reached the age of 16. According to eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, adult users should not notice any difference. She also noted that social networks already have technologies that allow them to identify advertising target audiences with high accuracy, and this is sufficient to detect underage users.

Governments and tech companies around the world are closely monitoring this issue, as Australia may become the first country to ban children and teenagers from using social media. The regulations will take effect in December 2025, and their enforcement will be overseen by the national online safety regulator.