Australia will enact a sweeping social media ban for children under 16 on December 10, forcing global tech giants into compliance despite their vocal objections.

Facing potential penalties of AU$50 million (€28 million), major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X, and YouTube have confirmed they will adhere to the new law, which prohibits under-16s from creating or maintaining accounts.

The companies' reluctant acquiescence was laid bare during a parliamentary hearing on Tuesday, where executives argued their cases even as they outlined plans to enforce the government's mandate.

Jennifer Stout, Snap's vice president of global public policy, distanced Snapchat from its rivals, emphasizing its role as a "messaging platform" with built-in safety features. "We share the government's goal of protecting young people online, but we believe that restricting their ability to communicate on Snapchat will not necessarily achieve that outcome," Stout stated. Nonetheless, she confirmed the platform will block under-16s when the law takes effect.

The scale of the impact is significant. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, estimates it will need to address approximately 450,000 under-16 users across its platforms in Australia. Mia Garlick, Meta’s policy director for Australia and New Zealand, said the method for removal is still under discussion but will be "consistent with our compliance approach."

TikTok presented a more detailed plan for its estimated 200,000 affected young users. Ella Woods-Joyce, TikTok's public policy lead for Australia, said the company will offer them a choice: permanently delete their account and data, or allow TikTok to store the information and reactivate the account once they turn 16.

A key challenge will be enforcement. Both TikTok and Snapchat stated they will use automated “age assurance mechanisms” to verify age. Woods-Joyce added that behavioral analysis will also play a role. “Where we identify someone who is saying they're 25 but whose behaviors indicate they're below 16... we will have those accounts deactivated,” she explained.

While the law positions Australia as a global leader in online child protection, tech industry insiders and experts, including from Google, have warned that accurately verifying the age of millions of users remains a formidable and complex challenge. (ILKHA)