Snapchat to warn under-16s about account deactivation in Australia

Technology Nov 24, 2025

Snapchat will soon start warning Australian users who might be under 16 that their accounts could be deactivated, thanks to a new social media law taking effect on 10 December.
About 440,000 users could get these alerts via the app, email, or SMS.
Snapchat is checking ages using both what users say and how they use the app.

How age checks and account locks will work

Anyone flagged as under 16 will need to prove their age—either with ConnectID (linked to an Aussie bank account), a government ID, or facial age estimation tech.
If you don't verify by the deadline, your account gets locked and could be deleted after three years of inactivity.

What's happening on other platforms

Snapchat says it's following the rules just like Meta did for Facebook and Instagram in Australia.
TikTok and Kick haven't shared their plans yet, while Reddit, Twitch, X (Twitter), and YouTube are still figuring out how they'll handle this new law.