TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 1782.consprcy@1:2320/105 2d96e4d0   
   PID: Synchronet 3.21a-Linux master/123f2d28a Jul 12 2025 GCC 12.2.0   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.28-Linux master/123f2d28a Jul 12 2025 GCC 12.2.0   
   BBSID: CAPCITY2   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
   FORMAT: flowed   
   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   
      
   $$   
   --- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux   
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)   
   SEEN-BY: 105/81 106/201 128/187 129/14 305 153/7715 154/110 218/700   
   SEEN-BY: 226/30 227/114 229/110 134 206 300 307 317 400 426 428 470   
   SEEN-BY: 229/664 700 705 266/512 291/111 320/219 322/757 342/200 396/45   
   SEEN-BY: 460/58 633/280 712/848 902/26 2320/0 105 304 3634/12 5075/35   
   PATH: 2320/105 229/426