How to prepare yourself and your child for the social media ban on December 10
Snapchat is offering users three ways to verify their age but a cybersecurity expert says there are risks. (Adobe Stock)
From December 10, certain social media platforms will have to take steps to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from having an account.
For a number of apps, account holders will be kicked off and may lose important data and access to groups and services.
Here's how to prepare ahead of time.
Which apps are included in the ban?
- Snapchat
- Threads
- TikTok,
- X (Formerly Twitter)
- YouTube
- Kick
- Twitch
The eSafety commissioner has informed the above platforms that they are required to comply with the social media minimum age restrictions.
Meanwhile social media apps Lemon8 and Yope have been advised by the eSafety commissioner to self-assess, in a sign they will likely be captured by the under-16s ban.
The two have surged in the app store charts as young people have flocked to alternatives to known platforms captured by the age restrictions.
It is recommended to make a note of which apps you may lose and download or save any important data in them prior to the ban.
Which apps are not included in the ban?
- Discord
- GitHub
- Google Classroom
- LEGO Play
- Messenger
- Roblox
- Steam and Steam Chat
- YouTube Kids
- Lemon8
Can users download their data before getting kicked off?
Yes.
If you want to download Meta content, you will want to do it sooner rather than later, with the owner of Facebook and Instagram warning it will start axing accounts from December 4.
The download can include your activity, who you've connected with, personal information and more.
For the guide on how to do that, click here.
Once the information is ready, it can be sent to your email.
For Snapchat, you can head to the "My Data" in settings.
You can retrieve Snap Memories, Snap History, Bitmojis and Custom stickers to be sent to an email address.
Content on TikTok is downloadable from the profile section.
From there, you click menu, then settings and privacy, then account.
Click on "Download your data", where you can download a file with data.
It is only available for a few days.
For Reddit, you will need to submit a data download request form, which can be found here.
Will I be able to still see content on social media?
People under 16 will still be able to see publicly available social media content that doesn't require a login.
The eSafety Commission website recommends that under-16s make a note of their favourite content makers and accounts prior to the ban, so they can search for their content on a web browser.
People under 16 will also still be able to see some content on Facebook, such as business landing pages that use Facebook as their host platform.
This means numbers and addresses of businesses and important services will still be searchable.
The eSafety Commissioner's website links to a young people social media action plan that can be downloaded here.
It encourages users to make a list of the services they use, figure out which ones they will lose and note down the important people, groups, creators and services on those platforms and how they will stay connected after the ban is in place.
What if I kicked off even though I am over 16, what do I do?
There is a chance some users over 16 may accidentally have their accounts deactivated.
eSafety says age-restricted platforms are expected to have processes that correct errors if someone is mistakenly included in restrictions.
"Platforms should provide clear instructions about how to request a review if a user has been age-restricted by mistake, as well as easy ways for people to report underage accounts," the website reads.
What if I access important services through social media?
Youth mental health service Headspace anticipates the ban will be tough to navigate for young people.
It provides tips for dealing with it here.
You can also access several crisis services via their phone numbers or website.
For immediate help contact: Triple Zero (000) if it is an emergency.
National Crisis services:
- Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au
- Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au
Additional youth support services include:
- Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 kidshelpline.com.au
- ReachOut: reachout.com
- SANE Australia: 1800 187 263 sane.org