Two major digital platforms are implementing new age verification measures as governments tighten controls on children’s online access, with Spotify requiring facial scans in the UK and YouTube being included in Australia’s social media ban for under-16s.

Spotify has introduced facial scanning requirements for UK users attempting to access age-restricted content.

The streaming platform is partnering with Yoti, which also provides age verification services to Instagram, to implement the photo-based age checking system.

UK users may be prompted to complete facial scans when viewing or listening to explicit content.

If the facial recognition incorrectly determines a user’s age, they can provide ID verification as an alternative.

The system may also deactivate accounts if users are found to be below Spotify’s minimum age requirement of 13 in the UK.

“If you cannot confirm you’re old enough to use Spotify, your account will be deactivated and eventually deleted,” the company stated.

The move follows the UK’s Online Safety Act, which has prompted Reddit, Bluesky, Microsoft/Xbox, and adult content providers to implement similar age verification systems.

Australia has reversed its decision to exempt YouTube from the country’s social media ban for children under 16, following pressure from other platforms and concerning survey results about harmful content exposure.

The Labor government initially planned to exclude YouTube, citing its educational value, but Meta and TikTok criticised the exemption as unfair.

A survey by Australia’s eSafety Commission found that 37% of children had encountered harmful content on YouTube, including dangerous challenges, violence, and hate speech.

Communications Minister Anika Wells told Parliament that YouTube “uses the same persuasive design features as other social media platforms, like infinite scroll, autoplay, and algorithmic feed,” justifying its inclusion in the ban alongside Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X.

YouTube responded that the decision “reverses a clear, public commitment” from the government to recognise the platform’s educational role.

YouTube Kids remains exempt from the ban as it doesn’t allow video uploads or comments.

Australia’s social media ban, which takes effect in December, places responsibility on platforms to prevent under-16s from creating accounts.

Companies face fines of up to $76 million for non-compliance.

Minister Wells acknowledged implementation challenges, noting that “kids, God bless them, are going to find a way around this. Maybe they’re all going to swarm on LinkedIn.”

She suggested VPN usage might be more likely than LinkedIn migration as children seek to circumvent restrictions.

Both developments reflect growing government intervention in digital platform operations as authorities balance child safety concerns with platform functionality and user privacy considerations.