Australia. Children's privacy. Act (amendment)
Social Media Minimum Age ActOnline Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 (Cth)
In force
§1Summary
- Synopsis
Requires age-restricted social media platforms to take reasonable steps to stop under-16s having accounts. Part 4A of the Online Safety Act adds strict privacy limits on data collected for age assurance, enforced by the OAIC.
- Key themes
- Unique features
Information collected for age assurance must be used only for that purpose (unless consented) and destroyed afterwards; platforms cannot insist on government ID alone.
- SaaS relevance
Platforms with social features and Australian users, and age-assurance vendors, carry these duties.
§2Obligations
- Extraterritorial
- Yes
- Maximum penalty
- A$49.5m (corporations)
§3Dates
- Key dates
- Adopted
- In force
- Royal assent 2024-12-10; age restriction obligation from 2025-12-10
§4Text and authority
- Text
- Authoritative text legislation.gov.au
- Authority
- eSafety Commissioner (age obligation); OAIC (Part 4A privacy)
§5Where it applies
- Domestic law of
- Australia
- Also applies in
§6Sources and verification
- Sources consulted
- Verification
High confidence.
Government considering raising maximum fine (June 2026). [Link: Federal Register, as made (Act No. 127, 2024)]