HomeDigital HabitsDigital SafetyQuizCoursesNewsReadWatchScienceAbout
CONTACT

Screen Sense

Digital guidance and Support
ContactAboutQuizCoachingArticlesTypesHome
Close
HomeDigital HabitsDigital SafetyDigital InsightsQuizCoursesAboutContact
Back to Articles
March 9, 2026
News

Australians must prove they are over 18 to access porn under new laws

A

ustralians must prove they are over 18 before they can access adult content such as porn, R-rated video games and sexually explicit AI chatbots under new laws.

The changes will protect children from harmful content, with platforms fined for breaches, Australia's online safety regulator said.

"We don't allow children to walk into bars or bottle shops, adult stores or casinos, but when it comes to online spaces... there are no such safeguards," its commissioner Julie Inman Grant said.

Experts say the new laws - which come three months after Australia introduced an under-16s social media ban - will face similar concerns over data privacy and users trying to trick age-verification technologies.

In Australia, as in many countries, users visiting adult sites are usually asked to verify their age by clicking on a box that says they are over 18.

But the new changes mean platforms must introduce stricter age-verification checks from Monday.

This can include facial recognition technology, digital IDs and credit card details.

Read the full article on BBC.

You might Also Like

News

YouTube to be included in Australia's teen social media ban

YouTube will be included in Australia's world-first social media ban for children under 16, after the government ditched a previous exemption for the platform.

Read More
Science

Impact of digital screen use on health and wellbeing of children and adolescents: A narrative review

As the world digitises, children and adolescents are increasingly using digital technologies. These devices offer benefits such as exposure to social contacts and support, potential learning opportunities and access to health promotion material. However, along with these benefits, emerging evidence is indicating that frequent, extended use of digital devices is associated with negative impacts on the health and wellbeing of children and adolescents.

Read More
Science

Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media

The relationship between social media use and life satisfaction changes across adolescent development. Our analyses of two UK datasets comprising 84,011 participants (10–80 years old) find that the cross-sectional relationship between self-reported estimates of social media use and life satisfaction ratings is most negative in younger adolescents.

Read More
We value your opinion

Feedback Survey

We greatly appreciate your feedback on this website and would like to know what information you found useful and what services you would like to see next. Please take a couple of minutes to let us know.

survey
About us

Screen Sense supports adults and young people (aged 16+) by providing resources that empower them to explore healthy digital habits and develop self-regulation safely, respectfully and with autonomy.

Navigation
HomeDigital HabitsDigital SafetyDigital InsightsQuizCoursesAbout
Contacts
Based in New Zealand
hello@screensense.net
+64 27 707 1467
message us
Send Message
Copyright Screen Sense 2026
Powered by Screen Sense