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Australia expects platforms to "stop under-16s from using VPNs" to evade
social media ban

Date:
Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:36:50 +0000

Description:
The regulator has refused to say how this will work in practice

FULL STORY

Social media platforms affected by Australia's ban for under-16s are 
"expected to try to stop users from using VPNs to pretend to be outside
Australia," according to guidance issued by the eSafety Commissioner . 

When TechRadar asked the Commissioners office to clarify how platforms are
expected to technically achieve this, a spokesperson declined to comment. 

Despite broad support for the legislation within the country, enforcement
remains a critical concern for legislators and parents alike. 

In an email to TechRadar, Dr. Justine Humphry  co-author of the University of
Sydneys Emerging online safety issues report  said: "86% of parents said that
we need effective age limits on apps and platforms, but 86% of young people
and 83% of parents said that young people would get around these."

How will social media platform monitor VPN use?

To comply with the restrictions, social media platforms may attempt to
identify and blacklist IP addresses associated with popular VPN services.
However, this often creates a "cat-and-mouse" dynamic: as platforms block
specific servers, VPN companies simply deploy new IP addresses to circumvent
the restrictions. 

This approach also creates significant collateral damage, potentially 
blocking legitimate adult users who are using a VPN to protect their data and
increase their digital privacy. 

Alternatively, social media platforms could roll out deep packet inspection
(DPI) technology to analyze internet traffic data and identify VPN-specific
fingerprints. 

This works because VPN protocols like OpenVPN and WireGuard have distinct
features, meaning VPN traffic looks different to standard web traffic.
However, some VPNs with specialist obfuscation techniques  such as Surfshark
and Proton VPN  may overcome this. 

Realistically, social media platforms will likely just cross-reference a
user's IP address with their GPS coordinates and/or the user's historic IP
addresses. Since users frequently grant location data permissions for tagging
posts or discovering "local" content, comparing those coordinates against an
IP address offers an incredibly efficient method of spotting active VPNs. 

Will VPNs enable kids to bypass the ban? 

Interest in VPNs has surged in regions that have introduced strict content
restrictions recently. In Missouri, search traffic for VPNs quadrupled
following the introduction of mandatory age verification, while the UK saw a
1,400% spike in sign-ups for some providers following the Online Safety Act.
And it's likely a similar trend will emerge in Australia. 

Currently, Google Trends data shows no immediate spike in search interest, 
yet several popular VPNs  including ExpressVPN and NordVPN  are among
Australia's top-grossing utility apps according to Sensor Tower data . 

The "use of VPN services is a possibility and will need to be monitored to 
see if there are download surges," said Dr. Humphry.

However, their ability to bypass these restrictions will largely depend on 
the measures introduced by social media platforms. Given that these platforms
often have access to granular device data   including GPS, sim card country,
and advertising IDs  it's unlikely that a simple IP change will change much. 

Platforms are likely relying on historical IP data and are already in the
process of deactivating accounts. So, if a users "digital footprint" shows
years of access predominantly from Australian IP addresses, a sudden switch 
to a location abroad is highly unlikely to work. 

Despite this, we still expect there to be an increase in demand for VPN
services as people look to increase their security and privacy online.
However, a major concern is that younger users will inevitably turn to "free"
VPN services in the hope of bypassing checks, but these are often dangerous. 

Free VPNs frequently monetize user data by selling it to third-party
advertisers, may lack necessary encryption standards, and can even inject
malware onto devices. If you or your child is considering a VPN, it is vital
to use a reputable service with a verified no-logs policy.

Perhaps even more concerning is the emergence of new platforms that are
specifically tailored for under-16s. These are leading to a fresh  and
potentially even more dangerous  set of cybersecurity and digital privacy
challenges. 

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. 
For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms
and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and
strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone
using a VPN service to break the law or conduct illegal activities. Consuming
pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future
Publishing.

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/australia-expects-platforms
-to-stop-under-16s-from-using-vpns-to-evade-social-media-ban

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