Australia's new law banning social media for children under the age of 16 is set to take effect in November 2025, but late-night amendments to the bill have raised significant concerns about how it will be enforced without relying on Digital IDs.

I wrote this before the social media ban passed the Senate last night.

The attempt to ban kids from social media will be ineffective but worse it may undermine proper efforts to reign in the harms of social media.

This rushed, blunt, blanket ban is like urinating on a bushfire… pic.twitter.com/MlzS4EjDks

— Senator Matt Canavan (@mattjcan) November 28, 2024

The legislation, passed by the Senate late Thursday night, will require social media platforms to implement age-verification methods to prevent children from using their services, with non-compliance potentially costing companies up to A$50 million in fines.

BREAKING: This is the moment Australia made it illegal for anyone under 16 to use social media. All Australians will have to verify their age to use social media. pic.twitter.com/lFKky7XMCE

— Nathan Livingstone (MilkBarTV) (@TheMilkBarTV) November 28, 2024

The bill has received bipartisan support with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claiming that the legislation aims to protect young Australians from the physical and mental risks associated with social media.

"Our children deserve to be protected from the dangers online," he said.

However, uncertainty remains around the practicalities of enforcing the ban, especially after a series of last-minute amendments designed to prevent platforms from requiring government-issued IDs such as passports or driver’s licences for age verification.

Australian senator @mattjcan tears into the "undemocratic" ramming through of the u16 social media ban bill: "This is an ABSOLUTE OUTRAGE & a stitch up of grand proportions!"

"A whole generation of Australians have watched this sordid saga of the past week play out & be… pic.twitter.com/2b5DehK1m6

— Nathan Livingstone (MilkBarTV) (@TheMilkBarTV) November 28, 2024

Instead, alternatives like biometric analysis of video selfies or cross-referencing email addresses with other online accounts may be used to determine a user's age.

The rushed legislation has raised alarm among privacy advocates and tech experts who worry that platforms may still find ways to collect sensitive personal data through loopholes.

Just then our government EASILY passed a law to ban anyone under 16 from social media, and enforce it with digital ID and/or 'other forms of age verification' unknown. This verification will be required by all Australians and presumably tourists in the country.

It's a f'ing… https://t.co/sSWAHTEcQL

— Marcus House (@MarcusHouse) November 28, 2024

Reports have suggested that while platforms will be prohibited from mandating government IDs, they could still ask users for digital identification through alternative methods, such as asking for copies of a driver’s licence or passport alongside other age-checking techniques.

"The aim of the legislation is not to mandate any form of technology or require Australians to hand over personal information to social media companies," claimed Communications Minister Michelle Rowlands in parliament.

However, with these potential workarounds still in place, many critics have expressed doubts over the bill’s ability to effectively protect privacy while achieving its climed goal of safeguarding children from online harm.

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