Instagram Age Verification in Australia

What happened

Since December 10, 2025, Instagram must take reasonable steps to prevent anyone under 16 in Australia from creating or holding an account. This is part of Australia's Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024.

Additionally, since March 9, 2026, Instagram must verify that users are 18+ before they can access restricted content (explicit material, high-impact violence, self-harm content).

Instagram (owned by Meta) uses a third-party provider called k-ID to handle age verification.

How Instagram verifies your age

When prompted, Instagram offers these verification methods:

Facial age estimation

Take a selfie. An AI algorithm estimates your age. Instagram receives a yes/no result — not the image itself (according to k-ID's policy).

Medium privacy risk

Government ID upload

Upload a photo of your driver's licence or passport. A third-party provider reads your date of birth.

High privacy risk

Video selfie

Record a short video of your face from multiple angles. Used for both age estimation and liveness detection.

Medium privacy risk

What happens if you're under 16

If Instagram determines you're under 16, your account is locked. You cannot create a new one. Existing accounts flagged as under-16 are restricted — content is hidden and the account cannot interact with others.

Instagram does not permanently delete under-16 accounts immediately. Meta has indicated accounts are preserved so users can regain access once they turn 16 and verify their age.

How to protect your privacy

If you're an adult being asked to verify:

Choose facial age estimation over ID upload — less data is shared with third parties.
Check k-ID's privacy policy — understand what happens to your biometric data.
Use a VPN for general browsing privacy — it encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet provider from logging your activity.
Don't use your primary email if creating a new account for verification purposes.

Read the full privacy protection guide →

Protect your privacy with a VPN

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Common questions

Can I use Instagram without verifying my age?

You may be able to continue using Instagram without an active verification prompt if your existing account data already indicates you're over 16. However, if prompted, you must complete verification to continue using the platform. Ignoring the prompt may result in restricted access.

Does Instagram store my facial scan?

According to Meta, facial age estimation is processed by third-party provider k-ID. k-ID states that facial images are used only for the age check and are not stored afterward. However, independent verification of these claims is limited.

Can I appeal if I'm incorrectly flagged as under 16?

Yes. Instagram provides an appeal process that typically involves uploading government ID to prove your age. This is one situation where ID upload may be unavoidable.

This guide is for educational purposes only. Information is based on publicly available data as of March 2026 and may change as Meta updates its verification processes.