Snap Inc (SNAP.US) will begin age verification procedures for users in Australia as it prepares to enforce a groundbreaking global restriction on social media access for users under 16 next month.

The company stated that all Snapchat users will be able to verify their age through three methods: linking an Australian bank account, presenting government-issued identification, or using facial age estimation via selfies.

This measure supports new legislation taking effect December 10 that prohibits users under 16 from maintaining or creating new accounts, designed to protect minors from cyberbullying and harmful social media content.

Meta (META.US), parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced last week it would begin removing underage accounts starting December 4.

The Australian House of Representatives passed legislation banning social media access for users under 16, with non-compliant platforms facing fines up to AUD 49.5 million. This makes Australia one of the strictest regulators globally regarding minors' social media use.

While Snap expressed disagreement with the Australian government's classification of its platform as prohibited for minors, it confirmed compliance with the new regulations. The company encouraged underage users to download and preserve their data promptly.