Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday said that the government is in talks with social media companies regarding age-based access controls and the growing challenge of deepfakes. The legislation, which came into force on 10 December, prohibits Australian children under 16 from creating accounts on designated social media platforms. He added that talks are ongoing with social media platforms to address concerns around deepfakes and age-based restrictions, with the aim of identifying the most suitable course of action. The Survey, which was tabled in Parliament, recommended that online platforms be held accountable for implementing age-verification mechanisms. Platforms should be made responsible for enforcing age verification and age-appropriate defaults, particularly for social media, gambling apps, auto-play features, and targeted advertising."

Source: Mint February 18, 2026 07:23 UTC