Snap starts checking users ages before Australian under-16 ban

SNAP will start checking many users’ ages in Australia as it prepares for a world-first social media ban for under-16s next month.

Snapchat account holders will be able to verify their age through a connection to an Australian bank account, with government-issued identification, or by taking a selfie to enable facial-age estimation, Snap said. 

The law aims to shield children from online abuse and other toxic elements of social media, and under-16s won’t be allowed to hold accounts or open a new one from Dec 10. Meta Platforms, owner of Facebook and Instagram, said last week it will start removing underage accounts from Dec 4. 

Snap said it strongly disagrees with its classification as a social media platform by the Australian government but said it will comply with the new legislation. Snap encouraged underage users to download their data as soon as possible. BLOOMBERG