This year, the Australian government is enacting the Social Media Minimum Age Act, which sets a minimum age of 16 for users of certain platforms classified as social media. As a result, Snapchat will be required to restrict access to its platform for users in Australia who are under 16 years old.
Snap Inc. stated, “Since the very beginning, Snapchat is and has always been, a visual messaging app. The primary purpose of Snapchat is to connect our community with their closest friends and family. We know that Snapping is the most personal way of communicating.”
Despite Snap’s position on its service, the company acknowledged Australia’s classification: “However, the Australian government disagrees and has classified Snapchat as an Age-Restricted Social Media Platform. And while we strongly disagree with this assessment, we will comply, as we do with all local laws in countries in which we operate.”
The company expressed concerns about potential consequences: “However, disconnecting teens from their friends and family doesn’t make them safer — it may push them to less safe, less private messaging apps. We continue to advocate for more privacy-conscious solutions, such as mandating age verification at the device, operating system, or app store level.”
Beginning December 10, 2025, accounts belonging to users under 16 in Australia will be locked. Affected users are encouraged by Snap Inc. to download their data before account deactivation occurs after three years if they do not reach the age threshold during that period. Those who turn 16 within three years can verify their age and regain access.
Snapchat also outlined steps for verifying age: “Starting this week, many users will be asked to verify their age to continue accessing Snapchat. These users will see a prompt when they open Snapchat; you simply need to tap ‘Verify Your Age’ to begin the process.” The company emphasized user privacy: “Snap will only collect a ‘yes/no’ result on whether someone is above the minimum age threshold (e.g., 16). We will not receive your facial scans, bank account details, or any other personal information you provide during the age verification process.”
Users experiencing issues with verification or account status are directed by Snap Inc. to seek assistance through its Help page.
