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Australia is on the brink of implementing a social media restriction that targets users under 16, prompting many young Australians to scramble to preserve their online data. This impending regulation will cut off access to popular platforms like Instagram and TikTok for these users.
Scheduled for early next month, the ban will see Australians younger than 16 barred from a variety of ‘age-restricted’ social networks.
The policy has sparked considerable debate, with many young Australians expressing their discontent. However, the implementation appears inevitable.
In light of the upcoming restrictions, here are some steps to help you download your data, safeguard memories, and ensure your account information is backed up before the deadline.
The new social media ban is set to take effect on December 10.
The social media ban will go into effect on December 10.
The eSafety Commissioner is already consulting with social media platforms that will be affected by the ban about their plans to “prevent and remove underage account holders” from that date.
“We expect age-restricted social media platforms to comply with the requirements once they take effect,” the eSafety website reads.
Which social media apps are banned?
The list of ‘age-restricted’ social media platforms that will be required to adhere to the ban from December 10 currently includes:
- Kick
- Snapchat
- Threads
- TikTok
- Twitch
- X (formerly Twitter)
- YouTube
Meta’s Messenger and WhatsApp, as well as Discord, Pinterest, YouTube Kids, and Roblox, are not included in the ban.
Will my accounts be deleted or just deactivated?
This will depend on the platform.
Social media platforms are not required to delete those accounts, but some may.
According to the eSafety website, age-restricted platforms will be required to stop under-16s from using any existing accounts or creating new ones from December 10.
Under the ban, age-restricted platforms are allowed to let under-16s deactivate their accounts and retain all the data associated with them.
They can then return to those accounts once they turn 16.
“But young people shouldn’t rely on platforms to provide this option,” the eSafety website reads.
“It’s best that they download any data they want to save, including connections, posts, chats, photos and videos – before 10 December.”
The eSafety website urges under-16s to take screenshots or download posts, chats, photos or videos they want to keep when the ban goes into effect.
How do I download my TikTok drafts before the ban?
TikTok doesn’t allow users to download drafts to their devices directly, but there is a workaround.
If you post a draft as a private video you will be able to save it to your phone’s camera roll without anyone else seeing it on TikTok.
The steps are as follows:
- Open your drafts folder
- Tap the draft you want to save
- In the editing screen, tap ‘next’
- Tap ‘everyone can view this post’ and change it to ‘only you’
- Hit post to post it privately
- On the live video, tap the three dots in the bottom right
- Tap download – it will then appear in your camera roll
If you want to download TikTok videos you’ve posted to your account to your camera roll before the ban starts, just follow steps six and seven.
Can I save my Snapchat Memories to my camera roll all at once?
If you don’t want to download your memories one by one, you can request a Memories-only Snapchat export.
The steps are as follows:
- Log into your Snapchat account online here, or go to the ‘Settings’ section on the Snapchat app
- Select ‘My Data’
- Under ‘select data to include,’ click the ‘export your memories’ toggle on
- Click ‘request only memories’
- Select a date range of memories you want to receive (the bigger the range, the longer the download will take to process)
- Confirm your email address so you can be notified when your data is ready
- Hit ‘submit’
Once your memories are ready, you’ll get an email with a link that will allow you to download them.
It can take several days for Snapchat to process data requests, so make sure to get in well before the ban takes effect.
How do I export Instagram chats and photos?
The best way to save large amounts of data from Instagram to your device is through Accounts Centre.
The steps are as follows:
- Go to your profile in the app and tap the three lines in the top right
- Tap Accounts Centre, then ‘Your information and permissions’
- Tap ’Export your information’
- Tap ‘Create export’
- Select the profile or account you want to save information from
- Tap ‘Export to device’
- Click into ‘Customise information’ and tick the boxes beside everything you want to save, such as comments, media (photos) and messages, then hit ‘Save’
- Select a date range, media format and quality, and input your email
- Hit ‘start export’
You will receive an email to notify you when your data is ready to download.
As with Snapchat, this can take time so make sure to get in early.
What happens to my data if I don’t download it before the deadline?
If under-16s don’t download their data from age-restricted social media platforms before the deadline, they risk losing access to it.
As they will no longer be able to access age-restricted social media accounts from December 10, they will not be able to access or save the data associated with those accounts.
How will social media apps know if I am under 16?
Age-restricted social media platforms are responsible for identifying the accounts of under-16s.
Some platforms will use existing data to confirm if users are 16 or older (e.g. an account that has been active since 2006 is unlikely to belong to an under-16).
Some may also require some users to prove their age, though the ways in which they do this will vary between platforms.
Any methods age-restricted social media platforms use to confirm users’ age must meet Australia’s regulatory requirements and respect privacy laws and digital rights.
Do I have to upload my ID to keep my social media account?
One of the options for users to prove their age may be to provide a government-issued ID – however, this cannot be the only option.
All age-restricted social media platforms must also offer a reasonable alternative when performing age checks.
That’s because Social Media Minimum Age legislation specifically prohibits platforms from compelling Australians to provide a government-issued ID or use an Australian Government accredited digital ID service to prove their age.
“No one who is 16 or older is prevented from having a social media account because they choose not to provide government ID,” per the eSafety website.
