Australia’s Age-Restricted Material Codes, in effect from March 2026, extend age verification and age assurance beyond adult content to a wide set of digital services. In scope are social media, AI chatbots, app stores, online gaming, search engines, messaging services, and pornography sites. The goal is to limit minors’ access to high-impact harmful content (e.g. serious violence, pornography, self-harm material) while keeping adult access workable.

Platforms in scope must use robust age assurance. Regulators recognise methods such as facial age estimation, digital wallets, and photo ID–based verification. The codes set out expectations for when and how age is checked, and penalties for non-compliance are high, up to tens of millions of dollars, so treating this as a box-ticking exercise is risky.

For global platforms, Australia is often a leading indicator. Other jurisdictions are watching how these codes are enforced and how privacy and usability are balanced. Implementing age verification that is both effective and privacy-preserving (e.g. token or assertion-based, without retaining IDs or face images) helps you meet Australian rules and prepares you for similar requirements elsewhere.

If you operate in Australia or serve Australian users, map your services to the codes, confirm which content categories trigger age checks, and choose an age-assurance method that meets the standard and minimises data retention.