The eSafety commissioner’s representative informed SBS News that the regulations target individuals under 16 who are “ordinarily resident” in Australia.

This raises the question: What does “ordinarily resident” entail, especially regarding youths on temporary visas, like international students?

The exact number of these students below the age of 16 remains uncertain.

The Australian Citizenship Act (2007) clarifies that an individual is not “ordinarily resident” in Australia if they are in the country solely for a “special or temporary purpose.” However, if they consider Australia their home or have a permanent abode there, they qualify as residents.

An eSafety spokesperson mentioned that the industry will rely on “various signals” to ascertain a person’s country of residence.

Not just location data

An eSafety spokesperson said the industry will use “various signals” to identify a person’s country of residence.

A spokesperson for the eSafety commissioner told SBS News they understand Meta will use “various signals” to detect users’ locations. Source: AAP / Nicholas T. Ansell

“This approach will also be leveraged to prevent issues such as circumvention via VPN as well [as] limit unintended disruption of services to people visiting the country for a short period,” they said.

“Platforms should also provide clear ways for people to request a review if they have been age-restricted by mistake,” they said.

Nearly ‘every teen affected’