A hot potato: Australian users will soon have to prove their age to more than just social media companies. Next week, anyone in the country trying to access online games with an R18+ rating will have to go through an age-verification process. While that might not impact a huge number of titles, it will affect GTA Online.
The requirement states that search engines, social media platforms, pornographic websites, app stores, gaming providers, and generative AI systems – including explicit chatbots – must take "meaningful steps" to prevent children from being exposed to age-inappropriate content.
It's important to note that the ruling does not apply to offline games, so something like Resident Evil Requiem, which does carry an R18+ rating in Australia, won't be age-gated. However, it will apply to GTA Online, which, according to third-party estimates, has at least 400,000 players in the country.
Australia's eSafety Commissioner wrote that failure to comply with the code can result in penalties of up to AU$49.5 million (about US$34.8 million) per breach.
The rule is designed to limit children's exposure to age-inappropriate content, including high-impact violence.
Australia is no stranger to this sort of thing. Back in December, it introduced the world's first social media ban on under 16s. The legislation requires Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube to verify the ages of Australian users and close the accounts of those identified as under 16.
The age verification systems must involve more than ticking a checkbox. For the social media law, some sites use facial age estimation technology. In addition to the privacy concerns of this method, many teenagers have circumvented scans by making unusual facial expressions, applying makeup, or using VPNs. Moreover, users who passed age verification checks have used their faces to help friends and family members sidestep the ban.
Last year saw leaked images reportedly showing Rockstar Games' age verification system for GTA Online. It gave the option of using facial scans or sending in photos of government IDs.
Age verification systems remain a controversial area. Discord's recent age-check crackdown led to an exodus of users from the platform. A few days later, the company admitted it made mistakes and said it was delaying the rollout of its age verification changes until the second half of 2026.