Bypassing the Aussie ban on under-16s
Many under-16s in Australia might try to bypass the new social-media ban under which, from 10 December 2025, all major social-media platforms must prevent Australians under 16 from holding accounts.
The platforms covered include the biggest names, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), and a few others. Platforms must take “reasonable steps” to verify age, and may be fined up to A$49.5 million if they fail.
Based on early reports and expert analysis, several strategies are already being used or discussed by under-16s to evade restrictions. High on the list is falsifying age information; some teens simply mis-report their date of birth as 16+ when signing up. There are already anecdotes of under-16s passing visual selfie-based checks.
There is recourse to VPNs and location masking. Some guides and ads are circulating encouraging minors to use VPNs or other tools to hide their location, in hopes the platforms won’t detect they’re in Australia.
Some resort to the use of alternate or less-regulated platforms. As restrictions hit the major social-media apps, some under-16s are already signing up to newer, smaller, or niche services not yet included in the ban, or not yet as well-policed.
There is speculation (and teen testimony) that some parents or guardians might help under-16s get around restrictions, whether by providing older credentials, creating accounts on their behalf, or simply turning a blind eye.
Although there are workarounds, the ban isn’t trivial to skirt, with platforms and regulators explicitly trying to close loopholes. Age-verification systems may combine multiple signals, including selfie-based checks, behavioral data, device data, and repeated audits, all trying to make it harder for minors to pass with fake information.
The government and the regulator eSafety Commission have said that under-16s not complying will eventually be booted off, even if they slip through initially. If minors flock to alternative apps en masse, those platforms could themselves become subject to scrutiny or even added to the ban list. The ban doesn’t penalize minors themselves, but companies face huge fines, giving platforms strong incentive to improve detection over time.
A survey of nearly 19,000 Australians under 16, showed that only 9% thought the ban was a good idea, and 72% believed it would not work. Some teens have told media that they expect to get around the ban, probably with some help from friends or older siblings, or even parents.
Experts warn that the crackdown might just push teens into less-regulated spaces such as gaming chats, smaller social platforms and anonymous forums, which could actually worsen safety risks, owing to reduced moderation and oversight.
In the short term, a noticeable fraction of under-16s almost certainly will manage to bypass the ban, at least initially. Fake age claims, VPNs, or alternative platforms make it possible, and there is already evidence that some under-16s have passed verification checks.
In the longer term the ban may reduce under-16 presence on major, mainstream platforms. Instead, usage may fragment, with some teens moving to smaller/less-regulated platforms or carving out informal under-ground social networks. The ban might succeed in shifting where teens are online, but not completely stopping under-16 social-media use.
In a tussle between the kids and the politicians, my money is on the kids. They’ll find a hundred ways to bypass the ban before the political crowd have even let the ink dry on the Bill. And my sympathies are with them.
Madsen Pirie