- Bluesky enforces age checks to comply with Australia’s social media ban
- The social media service also reverses restrictions in Mississippi
- All under-16s in Australia are banned from using social media
Bluesky has become the latest platform to be impacted by Australia’s under-16s social media ban. In a surprising turn, the platform has enforced age checks for all new users despite not being compelled to do so by the legislation.
Only ten platforms are currently under the scope of the law – Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, and YouTube – although this is subject to change in the future.
Despite not appearing in the list, all new Bluesky users are being asked to complete age verification using Kids Web Services (KWS).
All accounts belonging to under-16s will be deactivated, while adult content will be made inaccessible to those under 18. The company also confirmed it would disable direct messaging for users aged 16 to 18.
The social media platform has also reversed its block on Mississippi users, which it implemented earlier this year due to the state’s new age verification laws – a move that provoked a notable surge in VPN use at the time.
Despite the reversal, the company hasn’t changed its stance. “We continue to believe that Mississippi law limits free speech and disproportionately harms smaller platforms,” Bluesky stated. Consequently, while the platform will now be available to people in Mississippi, the company confirmed it will not follow all of the law’s requirements in detail
While teens in Australia will still be able to use the likes of WhatsApp, Discord, Roblox, and Pinterest to socialize online, their social media experience has now completely changed.
But the shift hasn’t happened all in one day. Meta began notifying Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts that it suspects belong to under-16s on December 4. Users can challenge this decision by providing a government-issued ID or a video selfie to prove their age via Meta’s third-party partner, Yoti.
YouTube is following a similar approach to Meta and notifying Australian users under the age of 16 that they will be automatically logged out of their accounts. Snapchat has taken similar measures, confirming in a blog post that it has partnered with digital identity firm k-ID to verify users’ ages.
Despite its vocal opposition to the legislation, Reddit has moved to comply with the ban by restricting access for users under 16, while also introducing a safety-focused version of the app for users under 18.
X, Kick, and Twitch have yet to disclose clear details on how they intend to enforce the new age verification rules.
Can users turn to VPNs?
Mandatory age verification has sparked a global surge in the usage of the best VPN apps, largely driven by privacy-conscious users looking for ways to avoid sharing their most sensitive personal data when navigating the internet.
In Australia, however, regulators said that social media platforms are also “expected to try to stop users from using VPNs.”
It’s not clear yet how platforms will comply with these requirements. Depending on the approach used, it will also be possible to understand whether using a VPN can help bypass Australia’s new age verification regime or not.
Certainly, some people in Australia have already been trying, with Google Trends data already showing an increase in the search volume for the term ‘VPN’ on the first day the ban was live.
However, users should be wary of downloading insecure free VPN solutions that do more harm than good. We recommend checking our guide on the best free VPNs for verified, secure options. For those who can invest in robust privacy protection, a premium service like TechRadar’s top-rated NordVPN remains the safest choice.
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We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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chiara.castro@futurenet.com (Chiara Castro)
