Country profile

Australia age-verification & online ID laws

In effect Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 effective Dec 10, 2025

The world's first national under-16 social-media ban.

Laws & bills on record

Social media

In effect
Bill / statute
Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024
Status
Active law in effect
Effective
Dec 10, 2025
Intrusiveness
Severe -- Criminal penalties, VPN targeting, or repeated re-checks with long data retention.

The world's first national under-16 social-media ban. Since Dec 10, 2025, platforms (YouTube, TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitch, Threads and others) must take reasonable steps to keep under-16s off, so users must verify age by facial-age estimation or ID. Enforced by the eSafety Commissioner, fines up to 50 million AUD. Australia also began requiring age verification on search engines and adult sites in March 2026.

Timeline
  • Dec 10, 2025In effect

Source: esafety.gov.au

VPN restrictions

Regulators have signaled interest in targeting VPN promotion as an age-verification circumvention tool; no ban is in force.

Source: esafety.gov.au

Digital ID

The Digital ID Act 2024 established the national Australian Government Digital ID System (AGDIS / myID).

Effective: Since 2024

Source: digitalidsystem.gov.au

Frequently asked questions

Does Australia require age checks or ID to use social media?

Yes. Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 is in effect, effective Dec 10, 2025. The world's first national under-16 social-media ban.

Are VPNs restricted in Australia?

Regulators have signaled interest in targeting VPN promotion as an age-verification circumvention tool; no ban is in force.

Does Australia have a digital ID requirement?

The Digital ID Act 2024 established the national Australian Government Digital ID System (AGDIS / myID).

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