How will social media platforms enforce the age restriction for under-16s?

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Social Media Platforms Will Bear Responsibility for Age Verification Under New Australian Legislation

Australian social media platforms will be required to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access by children under 16, under new legislation planned by the government. The onus will not be on parents or young people to enforce this restriction. This policy, announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, aims to address the perceived harm social media is causing to young individuals.
Legislation Details and Timeline

The Australian government intends to introduce legislation to ban social media access for individuals under the age of 16 into parliament this year. Following ratification by lawmakers, the laws are expected to come into effect 12 months later. Importantly, the proposed legislation will not include exemptions for users who have parental consent, meaning parental permission will not permit under-16s to use these platforms.
Platform Responsibility for Access Prevention

Prime Minister Albanese explicitly stated that the responsibility for preventing under-16s from accessing social media will lie with the platforms themselves. They will need to prove they are implementing measures to adhere to this age restriction. This shifts the burden of enforcement away from families and onto the technology companies.
Scope of Impacted Platforms

The new regulations are set to affect a range of major social media providers. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland indicated that platforms such as Meta Platforms’ Instagram and Facebook, Bytedance’s TikTok, and Elon Musk’s X will be impacted. It is also likely that Alphabet’s YouTube will fall under the scope of this legislation.
Enforcement Mechanisms in Other Jurisdictions

While the specific technical enforcement mechanisms for Australia's upcoming ban are not detailed in the provided information, other countries have implemented varying approaches to age verification on digital platforms. For instance, France previously proposed a ban for those under 15, but allowed parental consent as an override. In the United States, regulations like the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) have long required parental consent for data collection from children under 13, leading many platforms to set their minimum age at 13. These international examples highlight the ongoing global effort to balance online access with child protection, often placing a degree of responsibility on platforms to manage user age.

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How will social media platforms enforce the age restriction for under-16s?

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