Social media platforms preparing to comply with next month’s minimum age requirements may struggle to admit 16 and 17-year-olds, based on the current state of age assurance technology, if they make every effort to bar access to younger users.

The new regulations require designated platforms to take reasonable steps to deny access to users under the age of 16. A range of age assurance technologies is used in other regions and sectors, but the Australian laws present specific issues, according to Andy Lulham, chief operating officer of London-based safety tech firm VerifyMy, starting with the lower minimum age.

“For 16 plus, we have fewer methods available. We can’t do a credit card check, for example. In some countries, we do a mobile phone check, but that’s specifically for 18 plus,” h

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