Snapchat has recently rolled out bank-verified age verification for users in Australia in anticipation of the enforcement of new social media age regulations. Beginning December 10, 2025, individuals under 16 in Australia will be restricted from accessing platforms classified as social media under the Social Media Minimum Age Act.
The legislation places Snapchat in the category of platforms with age restrictions, which the company contests. Snapchat asserts its status as a visual messaging application primarily used for communication with close acquaintances, rather than a conventional social media network. Nevertheless, the company has committed to complying with the law while advocating for more privacy-focused measures, such as age verification at the device or operating system level.
As per the updated regulations, users suspected to be under 16 will now be required to confirm their age when opening the app. Snapchat is providing various verification options, including a bank-linked procedure through ConnectID, official photo ID checks, and facial age estimation conducted by a third-party provider, k-ID. Snapchat assures that it will only receive a simple confirmation of whether a user meets the minimum age requirement and will not have access to sensitive data like bank information, facial scans, or identity documents.
Upon the law’s enactment, existing accounts held by individuals under 16 will be frozen. These users will have a three-year window to retrieve their data before their accounts are permanently deactivated. If a user reaches 16 within this period, they can verify their age to reinstate access. Snapchat is advising its Australian users to cancel subscriptions like Snapchat+ and Memories+ if their accounts are affected by the new regulations.