Snap Blocks 415K+ Australian Accounts to Comply with Under-16 Social Media Ban

Snapchat has blocked more than 415,000 Australian accounts since January as part of its efforts to comply with Australia's new under-16 social media ban, but the company has warned of "real technical limitations to accurate and dependable age verification," according to a report by Josh Taylor in The Guardian.

Australia implemented one of the world's strictest social media age restrictions in November 2024, requiring platforms to take "reasonable steps" to prevent users under 16 from accessing their services. The law gives the eSafety Commissioner power to fine companies up to 50 million Australian dollars for non-compliance.

Snapchat's parent company Snap Inc. has been working to implement age verification measures, but the scale of account blocking highlights the challenges platforms face in enforcing such restrictions. The company's warning about "technical limitations" suggests that both false positives (blocking legitimate users) and false negatives (failing to block underage users) remain significant concerns.

Age verification technology typically relies on methods such as government ID checks, facial age estimation, or third-party verification services. However, these approaches often struggle with accuracy, particularly for users near the age threshold, and can raise privacy concerns when requiring sensitive personal information.

The implementation comes amid broader global debates about children's online safety and the role of social media in young people's lives. While Australia's approach represents one of the most aggressive regulatory responses, other countries including the UK, EU members, and US states have also introduced or proposed similar restrictions.

Snapchat's experience in Australia may serve as a case study for other platforms facing similar regulatory pressures worldwide. The company's acknowledgment of technical limitations suggests that achieving perfect compliance with age restrictions remains an elusive goal, even for well-resourced tech companies with sophisticated engineering teams.

The scale of account blocking also raises questions about the impact on Australian Snapchat users who may have been incorrectly flagged or who lack the means to verify their age through the required channels. As platforms continue to refine their age verification systems, balancing safety requirements with user accessibility remains a central challenge.

For more details, see the original report on The Guardian.