Snapchat Faces Scrutiny Over User Age Data

Australia's social media ban, effective since December 10, 2025, requires platforms like Snapchat to prevent users under 16 from holding accounts, with potential fines for non-compliance reaching AU$49.5 million. As of January 2026, Snapchat reported blocking 415,000 accounts in Australia believed to belong to underage users. Snapchat has expressed concerns that age estimation technology isn't foolproof, with accuracy varying by two to three years. This could lead to both underage users bypassing restrictions and older teens being incorrectly locked out. Snapchat is urging Australian authorities to implement age verification at the app store level for more consistent protection. Snapchat argues that the ban might push teens to less regulated and potentially less safe platforms. They emphasize that a large portion of Snapchat use in Australia involves messaging between close friends and family. Snapchat's location-based features, like Geofilters and Snap Map, rely on user location data. While location sharing is off by default, these features have raised privacy concerns, particularly regarding potential misuse by bullies or stalkers. Users can activate "Ghost Mode" to hide their location from friends. Snapchat collects various data, including personal information, user-generated content, and location data if enabled. Users can manage their privacy settings to control who can contact them, view their stories, and track their location.