Snapchat has announced the implementation of new age verification measures for its Australian community, in compliance with Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age Act (SMMA).
While Snapchat says it strongly disagrees with its classification as an Age-Restricted Social Media Platform (ARSMP) by the Australian government, it remains committed to complying with all local laws including the upcoming changes taking effect on December 10.
Snapchat says it will continue to advocate for privacy-conscious solutions, such as age verification at the device, operating system, or app store level.
What will change?
Starting this week, all Snapchat users who are believed to be under 16 years of age will begin receiving notifications through multiple channels including in-app, email and SMS, with details about how the new SMMA will affect them, including information about age verification.
All users who are believed to be under 16 years old, either via their declared age or via Snapchat’s inferred age modelling signals, will be required to verify their age from December 10. This will be conducted by via third-party service providers, with verification methods including:
- ConnectID (Bank-verified): Secure age verification through a connection with an Australian bank account.
- Photo ID: Scanning a government-issued identification document which is scanned and validated by k-ID. Documents include passport, drivers licence and other state issued ID.
- Facial Age Estimation: Taking a selfie, which k-ID uses to estimate an age range.
Downloading data
Snapchat encourages users under 16 who are impacted by the new SMMA to download their data as soon as possible. They say Memories, Chats or Videos that are stored in your Snapchat account can all be downloaded and retained.
All users should also cancel any subscriptions to Snapchat+ or Memories+.
If you are under 16, Snapchat says your account will be locked from December 10 for up to three years, or until the user turns 16 and reactivates their account.
Users experiencing issues with age verification or who believe their account was mistakenly locked or deactivated can find additional information and support on Snapchat’s Help page.
Statement
A Snapchat spokesperson said, ‘Snapchat is and has always been a visual messaging app, primarily used for connection with your closest friends and family.
‘We know that for teens, maintaining friendships is a key contributor to happiness and well-being and are deeply saddened that young Aussies can no longer connect with their nearest and dearest via Snapchat.
‘However, even though we strongly disagree with the government’s assessment that Snapchat is an Age Restricted Social Media Platform, we will disable accounts for users under 16 from December 10.’
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
