SnapChat

Quick Read Australia’s under-16 social media ban comes into effect, targeting platforms like Snapchat. Snapchat uses k-ID for age verification, offering ID scan, bank confirmation, or selfie-based checks. Experts warn that even with ‘no storage’ claims, data transmission carries privacy risks. A recent criminal case in the U.S. involved Snapchat being used to exploit a minor. Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban Shines Spotlight on Snapchat Starting tomorrow, Australia will enforce a sweeping ban on social media use for children under 16 years old. The move, which has stirred debate nationwide, puts platforms like Snapchat at the heart of a new conversation: how can technology protect young users, and at what cost to privacy? Snapchat’s Age Verification: Promises and Pitfalls In anticipation of the ban, Snapchat has rolled out age-verification measures in Australia, partnering with Singapore-based company k-ID. The verification system offers three ways for users to prove they’re old enough: Confirmation from a bank using ConnectID, which sends a simple ‘yes/no’ about age eligibility via k-ID. Scanning a government-issued ID (like a passport or driver’s license), validated by k-ID with a selfie check. Taking a selfie for facial age estimation, with k-ID’s technology gauging the user’s age range. According to

It begins a live experiment studied by lawmakers frustrated by the slow enforcement of harm-minimisation efforts Australia is set to become the first country to implement a minimum age for social media use on Wednesday (Dec 10). Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and YouTube will be forced to block more than a million accounts, marking the beginning of an expected global wave of regulation. From 1300 GMT (9 pm Singapore time), 10 of the biggest platforms will be required to block Australians under 16, or be fined up to A$49.5 million (S$42.6 million). The law received harsh criticism from major technology companies and free speech advocates, but was praised by parents and child advocates. The rollout closes out a year of speculation about whether a country can block children from using technology that is built into modern life. It begins a live experiment that will be studied globally by lawmakers who want to intervene directly, because they are frustrated by what they say is a tech industry that has been too slow to implement effective harm-minimisation efforts. Governments from Denmark to Malaysia – and even some states in the US, where platforms are rolling back trust and safety features –

Image credit – Scots Monday 8 December 2025 – Sydney, Australia Written by Swikblog News Desk An elite Sydney boys’ school is facing intense scrutiny after a 17-year-old student was allegedly assaulted during an unofficial “human tunnel” ritual, with police now investigating the incident and furious parents questioning the culture at The Scots College. The boy’s mother says her son was “lured in on Snapchat” and pressured to attend what was described as a “tradition”, only to be shoved, slapped, drenched in beer and verbally abused as he walked through a tunnel of older students. Footage of the gathering has circulated on social media, prompting a wider debate over hazing-style activities at prestigious schools and whether enough is being done to keep teenagers safe. NSW Police have confirmed they are investigating the alleged assault after receiving a complaint and footage of the gathering. Detectives from the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command are working to identify those involved and verify what occurred. For broader information on how incidents like this are handled, readers can refer to NSW Police crime and incident resources. What is alleged to have happened at the Scots College ‘human tunnel’? According to local media reports, the incident

New Delhi: Children who spend more than 30 minutes a day on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are more likely to show a gradual decline in their ability to concentrate, according to a new study tracking over 8,000 children from around age 10 to 14. The research, conducted by scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Oregon Health & Science University in the US, examined links between screen use and symptoms related to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The four-year study followed 8,324 children in the US, recording their daily time on social media, television/videos and video games, which increased from about 30 minutes a day at age 9 to around 2.5 hours by age 13. Despite many platforms setting 13 as the minimum age, the data showed rising use well before that threshold, and children who spent substantial time on apps like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Messenger gradually developed more inattentive symptoms. Published in Pediatrics Open Science, the study did not find a similar association between attention problems and time spent watching television or playing video games. The researchers suggested that social media’s constant stream of messages and notifications, and even the anticipation

A Birmingham rapist who used Snapchat to groom a child was caught by detectives after the girl he sexually abused bravely called for help by 'asking for a pizza'. The quick-thinking victim, just 15, copied a TikTok video she'd seen where another sexual assault victim had phoned police to 'order a pizza'. The West Midlands Police call-handler understood the teenager meant she was in danger and quickly dispatched officers to the scene in Druids Heath on July 28 this year. READ MORE: I slept rough in a Birmingham car park and it opened my eyes to a harsh reality The victim, who had been left at the roadside after being raped by 41-year-old Abdul Kahar, was able to identify her attacker's car and registration which led officers to his address. Kahar, of Anthony Road, Alum Rock, had met his victim on Snapchat in June posing as a 17-year-old boy called ‘Jay.’ He picked up the girl in his vehicle in July, gave her alcohol, and went on to rape her. After the attack, she bravely called police from the car and asked to order a pizza. The call-handler and asked her 'yes' or 'no' questions to establish exactly what was

KANE'S TECH TIPS: SUNDAY 30th NOVEMBER 2025 Welcome to another low down on all the latest Tech news, Tips and Tricks to help you keep up to date with the latest from the Tech world! You can hear the feature On Air on a Sunday with Mark, and throughout the week. Australia Bans Under-16s From Using Major Social Media Services From 10 December, under-16s in Australia are banned from using major social media services including Tiktok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and Threads. They will not be able to set up new accounts, and existing profiles must be deactivated. The ban - the first of its kind - is being watched closely by other countries. Ten platforms are currently included: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch. The government assesses potential sites against three main criteria: whether the platform's sole or "significant purpose" is to enable online social interaction between two or more users; whether it allows users to interact with some or all other users; and whether it allows users to post material YouTube Kids, Google Classroom and WhatsApp are not covered as they are not deemed to meet those criteria. Read

As reported by RIA Novosti The Russian regulator Roskomnadzor officially announced the blocking of the Snapchat messaging app in Russia and on the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including Crimea. The decision was made on October 10, 2025. According to law enforcement, Snapchat is used to coordinate terrorist activities on Russian soil, recruit operatives, and carry out fraudulent and other unlawful operations against Russian citizens. Snapchat is an American service launched in 2011 that allows exchanging photos, videos, and messages that disappear after a few seconds or after a day. This is not the first restriction on Western digital services in Russia this week: earlier reports indicated blocks of Roblox and Apple’s FaceTime video calling service. Such actions highlight the shrinking availability of foreign platforms in the region, where users are increasingly seeking alternative ways to communicate and share information. Possible consequences for users and the market The Snapchat ban could affect the ease of sharing media files and private messages among users in Russia and on the occupied territories. Experts note that blocking online services often prompts people to switch to other platforms or limit the use of certain features.

Over the past six days, Roskomnadzor has blocked WhatsApp, Roblox, FaceTime and Snapchat. The official pretext for the bans was a supposed "security threat." At the same time, Russia continues cracking down on censorship-circumvention tools: VPN protocols that still allowed Russians to access alternative sources of information are also being targeted, the CCD reports. "The Russian authorities have intensified efforts to build a 'sovereign internet,' where the state controls everything - messengers, social networks, gaming platforms and private communication channels," the Centre stated. CCD analysts are convinced that under the guise of "countering terrorism," Russia is effectively isolating its information space. "This is yet another confirmation that today’s Russia is a totalitarian state in which the authorities regulate every aspect of citizens’ lives - what they read, whom they communicate with and what information they can access," the CCD noted. Roskomnadzor's official version Roskomnadzor earlier claimed it had taken measures to block access to Snapchat in Russia, alleging that the platform was used for "organising and carrying out terrorist attacks" as well as recruiting perpetrators. The agency asserts that Snapchat was supposedly used not only to coordinate and recruit participants for terrorist activity but also for fraud and "other crimes

Apple’s FaceTime video calling service and Snap’s Snapchat have been banned in Russia, Bloomberg reports. The move comes as the country continues to block several major social platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X. In the report, Russian authorities alleged that FaceTime and Snapchat were being used to “organize and carry out terrorist acts” and to recruit individuals involved in such activities. The platforms were also reportedly linked to other criminal activities, including fraud. Russia recently warned WhatsApp that it could face a complete ban for allegedly violating local laws. The country has steadily tightened access to social media platforms since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022. Source

Russian internet regulator Roskomnadzor accused both platforms of being used ‘to organise and carry out terrorist acts’. Russian authorities have blocked access to Snapchat and Apple’s video calling service FaceTime in the latest move by Moscow clamping down on foreign tech platforms as it tightens control over the country’s internet and online communications. In separate announcements on Thursday, Russian state internet regulator Roskomnadzor accused both platforms of being used “to organise and carry out terrorist acts within the country”, as well as “recruit perpetrators” for criminal acts. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 Russia’s Putin found ‘morally responsible’ for nerve agent death in UK list 2 of 3 Putin challenges US pressure on India over Russian oil during state visit list 3 of 3 Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,380 end of list The regulator said that it took the action on October 10, though it was only announced this week. Apple and Snapchat parent Snap Inc have yet to comment on the move. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Snapchat – a messaging app for sharing photos, videos and text messages – announced it was halting advertisement sales to Russian and