Age Verification in Australia

What changed?

Australia now has two sets of age restrictions for online services:

Platforms that fail to comply face penalties of up to A$49.5 million per breach.

Who does this affect?

Everyone in Australia. These laws don't just apply to children. Adults will encounter new verification steps when accessing platforms that host restricted content. This means providing a form of proof — a government ID, a biometric scan, or a credit card check — to platforms you may have used freely for years.

The concern for many adults isn't about complying. It's about what happens to the data you hand over during that process.

This guide helps you understand your options, compare the privacy trade-offs of each verification method, and take practical steps to protect your personal information.

Key facts

• Platforms cannot force you to use government ID. The law prohibits mandating government-issued identification. Alternative methods must be offered.
• "I am 18" buttons are no longer sufficient. Simple self-declaration is no longer compliant. Platforms must implement meaningful verification.
• The government doesn't collect your data. Verification is handled by the platform or an accredited third-party provider — not the Australian government.
• VPNs are legal in Australia. Using a VPN to protect your privacy is not illegal. VPN downloads surged when these laws took effect.
• Some platforms are blocking Australia entirely rather than implementing verification. Aylo (which owns Pornhub, RedTube, YouPorn) chose to block all Australian IP addresses.