Effective from midnight on Wednesday, ten major platforms — including Facebook*, Instagram*, Threads, X, YouTube, Snapchat*, Reddit, Kick, Twitch, and TikTok—are required to identify and remove accounts held by users under 16 and to block new registrations from this age group in Australia.

Platforms found in violation of the new law face potential fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (approximately 33 million US dollars).

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared Wednesday "an important day" for families, presenting the law as proof that policymakers can effectively curb online threats which traditional protective measures often fail to address.

"[The passing of the law] will make an enormous difference. It is one of the biggest social and cultural changes that our nation has faced... It's a profound reform, which will continue to reverberate around the world", Albanese stated at a press conference on Wednesday.

Platform representatives have informed the Australian government that, to comply with the new law, they will employ a combination of age verification methods, including:

• Behavioral analysis: Estimating a user's age based on their online activity and interactions.

• Facial age estimation: Analyzing a selfie provided by the user to estimate their age.

• Document verification: Checking government-issued identification documents uploaded by the user.

French President Emmanuel Macron has also announced plans to ban social media access for children under 15 or 16 before the end of his term in 2027.

"We will introduce age verification in all social networks, and we will set this age at 15-16 years. And we will say that persons under this age will not be allowed to access social media... I can easily commit myself that it [the relevant bill] will be voted on before the end of this mandate", the Figaro newspaper quotes President Macron as saying.

Restricting children's access to digital platforms and social media has become a central topic in global child online protection discussions. This includes the thematic open interregional consultations held under the auspices of the RCC during the World Telecommunication Development Conference (WTDC) in Baku.

The social media platforms marked with an asterisk (*) are recognized as extremist organizations in the territory of the Russian Federation*.

Illustration credit: UNICEF Australia

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