‘No one-size-fits-all solution’ as industry prepares for under-16 social media ban

Social media companies will carry the responsibility for enforcing Australia’s new under-16 age ban, after the Federal Government and eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant released regulatory guidance ahead of the law taking effect on 10 December.

A 55-page document released Wednesday outlines expectations for platforms to stop children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. But rather than prescribing a single model, the government is placing the onus on the platforms themselves to decide how to comply - and to prove the steps they take are reasonable.

Key expectations include detecting and carefully deactivating existing underage accounts, preventing those users from re-registering, and ensuring that any actions are clearly communicated to affected users. Platforms will also be required to show regulators that these systems are robust, fair and continuously improving.

Inman Grant (pictured) said the principles-based approach was deliberate, reflecting the diversity of social media platforms and the need for privacy-preserving methods.

“Our principles-based guidance recognises that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for industry, given the diversity of platforms and technology and to help technology companies meet their obligations in a way that is effective, privacy-preserving and fair,” she said.

Importantly, the rules stop short of forcing Australians to undergo universal age checks. Blanket verification of all users is considered unreasonable, and government ID cannot be the sole method offered. Instead, platforms are expected to draw on existing age signals, including behavioural data and language analysis, to identify and block underage users without intrusive data collection.

“This legislation puts the onus on platforms, not parents, carers or young people,” Inman Grant said. “Children, parents and carers are counting on services to deliver on their obligations and prepare their young users for this monumental change.”

The guidance leaves brands and marketers watching closely. Once enforced, the ban will reshape the audience counts and measurement data offered by platforms in Australia, while also raising new questions about how content aimed at older teens will be targeted and measured.

Further resources for families, educators and industry will be published on eSafety’s hub ahead of the December deadline.