Users of Snapchat are now able to verify that they are over 16 without uploading a passport or driver’s licence, or needing to share biometric information like a selfie, thanks to a privacy-preserving solution enabled by ConnectID. 

ConnectID is expected to be live with multiple other well-known social media platforms by 10 December. 

The launch comes as social media platforms prepare to implement new rules restricting access for users under 16. In the lead-up to the ban, one of the biggest public concerns has been around the potential for users to be forced to share documents or biometrics with global social media platforms, just to prove their age.  

Australian-owned digital identity solution ConnectID allows users to verify their age without sharing any documents or selfies. Users who choose ConnectID will be securely redirected to their banking app, which already holds their verified details. The bank is then able to confirm that the user meets the age requirement and returns a simple “yes” or “no” response to the social media platform without sharing any additional information. 

No identity documents are uploaded or shared with social media platforms, and no personal data – not even a name or date of birth – leaves the bank, ensuring privacy and anonymity. 

“The goal here is to protect young people online without creating new privacy risks,” said Andrew Black, Managing Director of ConnectID. “People are understandably uneasy about uploading passports or licences to social media apps.¹ This solution shows it’s possible to protect sensitive personal data while helping social media platforms meet their new obligations responsibly.” 

Developed by Australian Payments Plus, which powers brands like Osko, PayID, PayTo, the NPP, BPAY and eftpos, ConnectID is part of an industry-led effort to make digital interactions secure while minimising data collection. The solution draws on the same secure, regulated infrastructure Australians already use to manage their money every day. 

“For years, we’ve accepted that proving our identity online means handing over sensitive personal documents like passports or driver licences that can be copied or stored,” said Black. “This changes that. It proves there’s a secure, smarter way to build trust online, where the individual stays in control.” 

ConnectID is already live with CommBank, NAB, ANZ Plus and Westpac, and supports a range of everyday use cases that require verified identity checks, from activating a mobile SIM, to joining a library, to applying for rental properties and confirming eligibility for age-restricted purchases.  

“Our customers expect digital experiences that are simple and secure. With ConnectID, CommBank provides Australians with a safer, easier way to prove their age online without uploading identity documents or sharing personal information. It’s another way we’re helping customers stay protected and in control of their data as they engage in an increasingly digital world,” said Gavin Leon, General Manager, Open Data and Identity at CommBank. 

How it works 

ConnectID has partnered with global compliance platform k-ID to deliver age assurance tools for some social media platforms. ConnectID will be one of various options available to users to verify their age, alongside other age verification, age inference, and age estimation tools. When users select ConnectID, they will be redirected to their banking app to confirm they are over 16.  

The bank then confirms whether the user meets the age requirement and with the user's consent, returns only a simple “yes” or “no” response to the social media platform. No other identity documents are uploaded or shared, and no personal data – not even a name or date of birth – leaves the bank.