As a parent of four, I understand how vital it is to protect our children online. But with countries like Virginia and New Zealand introducing social media age-restriction laws in 2025, following Australia’s under-16 ban, many parents are left wondering: Are these laws truly helping our kids, or are they creating new risks?

What's Happening in Virginia?

Virginia’s new law, effective July 2025, mandates that social media platforms verify users are at least 16 years old. While the intent is to shield teens from online harms, the execution raises serious concerns. The law lacks detailed enforcement guidelines, leaving it up to platforms to decide how to verify users’ ages. This vagueness opens the door to inconsistent application and, more worryingly, privacy violations.

For instance, if platforms begin requiring government-issued IDs, that could expose users to unnecessary data collection. History offers a cautionary tale: the Equifax breach in 2017 compromised the sensitive information of 147 million people. Furthermore, Virginia’s law seems out of step with national authentication standards, such as those in NIST 800-63-3, which emphasize privacy-preserving methods.

Perhaps most concerning is how easy it still is for teens to bypass these measures using VPNs or fake accounts. Instead of protecting teens, the law may only burden compliant users while doing little to stop determined workarounds.

New Zealand’s Echo of Australia’s Model

Across the globe, New Zealand is considering a similar under-16 ban, modeled after Australia's law passed in November 2024. The motivation is rooted in protecting teen mental health, but the implementation remains vague. Like Virginia, New Zealand has not outlined how platforms are expected to verify ages.

The legal landscape adds complexity. A 2023 New Zealand Supreme Court ruling labeled the country’s voting age of 18 as discriminatory, complicating efforts to enforce age-based restrictions. Critics also highlight that mandatory age checks may violate the Privacy Act of 1993, particularly if platforms over-collect user data.

Australia’s experience doesn’t inspire confidence. Despite the ban, VPN usage among teens spiked 20% after implementation (NordVPN, 2025). Social media continues to be accessible to those determined to get around the system, making enforcement more symbolic than practical.

What Can Parents Do?

At CyberStreams, we help organizations adapt to privacy laws without compromising user safety. But parents play an equally critical role in keeping kids safe online.

Here are three practical steps families can take:

1. Teach Kids Safe Online Habits

Talk to your children about the dangers of oversharing and the importance of privacy. Help them understand why some restrictions are in place, and the risks of using fake accounts or bypassing age controls.

2. Monitor App Privacy Settings

Take time to review the privacy settings of apps your kids use. Disable unnecessary permissions and limit data-sharing options to reduce exposure to over-collection.

3. Enable Parental Controls

Use tools like Apple’s Screen Time or Google Family Link to manage which apps your kids can access. These features also allow you to monitor activity and limit screen time.

Conclusion

While well-meaning, age-restriction laws in Virginia and New Zealand risk doing more harm than good by exposing users to increased privacy threats and creating enforcement challenges. Without thoughtful implementation and privacy-preserving technologies, these laws may fall short of their goals while putting family data at greater risk.

As parents, the most powerful protections start at home. By fostering digital literacy, setting boundaries, and staying informed, we can give our kids the tools to thrive safely online regardless of the laws in place.