Deadline changed as tech firms grapple with Australia’s age check and social media ban laws

Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Meta. Australia’s government has passed legislation that will ban under 16s from social media and require age assurance for every user on those platforms. Photograph: David Zalubowski/AP

Tech companies will have two extra months to finalise plans to restrict children from accessing adult websites, as Australia’s rushed under-16s social media ban legislation forces the sector to grapple with potential crossover issues with the two regulations.

The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, announced the extension on Thursday, citing the need for industry to have time to consider the new legislation and how it might intersect with restrictions on adult content.