With the December 10 deadline steadily approaching, most major social media platforms have signaled that they’re giving up any sort of fight against Australia age detection mandates. We have now reached the phase where age verification is becoming normalized despite the technology driving it being imperfect at best and invasive at worst.
Social media platforms have agreed to comply with Australia’s social media ban for users under 16 years old, begrudgingly embracing the world’s most restrictive online child safety law.
On Tuesday, Meta, Snap, and TikTok confirmed to Australia’s parliament that they’ll start removing and deactivating more than a million underage accounts when the law’s enforcement begins on December 10, Reuters reported.
Firms risk fines of up to $32.5 million for failing to block underage users.
Age checks are expected to be spotty, however, and Australia is still “scrambling” to figure out “key issues around enforcement,” including detailing firms’ precise obligations, AFP reported.
An FAQ managed by Australia’s eSafety regulator noted that platforms will be expected to find the accounts of all users under 16.
Those users must be allowed to download their data easily before their account is removed.
Some platforms can otherwise allow users to simply deactivate and retain their data until they reach age 17. Meta and TikTok expect to go that route, but Australia’s regulator warned that “users should not rely on platforms to provide this option.”