From 10 December, technology companies must take reasonable steps to detect, deactivate and prevent these underage accounts or risk facing fines of up to $49.5 million.
This move signals a significant shift in how Australia holds online platforms responsible for the digital safety of young users. Previously, age limits relied on users entering their date of birth, but the government has deemed that approach inadequate. The Australian government, in partnership with the eSafety Commission, is pushing platforms to adopt layered, technical methods aimed at making it harder for children to bypass restrictions without requiring platforms to verify the age of every user individually.
The law applies to all major platforms, including YouTube, which was initially exempt but must now comply. Companies are expected to stop banned users from signing up again, ensure transparent review processes and use improved detection tools. General age verification is not mandatory. Instead, platforms can analyse existing data to estimate a user's age or use a step-by-step “waterfall” strategy involving multiple age assurance techniques. The policy follows a national technology trial that showed such systems are already viable.
Although the regulation is intended to protect children from online harm, some critics question how effective or scalable these measures will be. There are concerns that the technology may struggle to accurately determine a user's age, and social media companies argue that tighter rules could threaten digital rights. The government, however, maintains that platforms have had enough time and guidance to prepare. It has made clear that failure to comply is no longer an option.
