SINGAPORE, Dec. 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Australia’s new social media ban for under-16s is set to take effect on December 10, with platforms like Facebook, Kick, Snapchat, Threads, Twitch, X, TikTok, Reddit, YouTube and Instagram expected to introduce stricter age-verification measures under new rules from the eSafety Commission. While these changes aim to protect younger users, many Australian adults are pushing back against the idea of uploading government ID or biometric data just to keep using everyday social media apps.
On Reddit’s /r/australian, one discussion thread alone has drawn over 700 comments, highlighting how widespread the concern has become. Many adults are uncomfortable with platforms collecting more personal data in the name of compliance. Some say they’ll quit social media together; others are turning to privacy tools to minimise what they expose online.
Among these, X-VPN is emerging as one option for adults who already meet the legal age threshold. It helps them stay on social media without exposing more personal information than necessary.
X-VPN: Helping Australians Take Back Control Over What They Share
X-VPN allows Australian adults who already meet the legal age requirement to use platforms like TikTok or Reddit without exposing more personal data than necessary. For those who are reluctant to share sensitive ID documents or biometric information, X-VPN offers a way to encrypt your connection, change your IP address, and reduce how often your real location is visible when logging into social media platforms.
It is designed for privacy-conscious adults, not to remove platform age checks or interfere with how companies apply the SMMA law, but to minimise the extra data that may be collected during verification or usage, such as your IP address, location, or browsing fingerprint.
With over 10,000 servers across 80 countries, X-VPN lets users decide where they appear online, giving them more control over what digital information they share, and with whom.
Change Your IP Address and Reduce Location Exposure
An IP address can reveal more than users realise, including their location, internet provider, and access patterns across multiple apps. Combined with age-verification documents, this can create a deeply traceable profile. X-VPN helps reduce that risk by encrypting your traffic and letting you choose a different virtual location with 10,000+ servers, so platforms and trackers may collect less information than they otherwise would.
Route Only What You Want with Split Tunneling
You don’t have to send your whole device through a VPN. With X-VPN’s split tunneling feature, you can choose which apps or websites use the VPN and which don’t. That means adults can add extra privacy to specific services like Facebook or Reddit, without sending your entire device through the VPN. Banking, streaming, or everyday browsing can stay on your regular connection, keeping speeds fast and content local.
This setup gives you a customised privacy layer instead of a one-size-fits-all solution. X-VPN’s split tunneling is designed for adults who want more control over how their traffic is routed. It does not change how social media platforms apply age restrictions or identity checks under the SMMA law.
Stay Connected Smoothly with X-VPN’s Obfuscation Technology
X-VPN has its own proprietary protocol, Everest, built with advanced obfuscation techniques that make VPN traffic blend in more smoothly on congested or heavily filtered networks. In practice, this helps reduce the chances of your connection being throttled or dropped just because it’s encrypted.
For adult users, this means a smoother and more consistent connection. Whether you’re logging into your inbox or using social media apps that introduce extra identity checks, X-VPN helps keep your connection secure and stable, without forcing you to constantly reconnect.
If you prefer using open-source protocols, X-VPN also supports both OpenVPN and WireGuard, giving adults the flexibility to choose the connection method that best fits their transparency and performance needs.
No-Logs Policy, Singapore-Based for Data Independence
Operated by LIGHTNINGLINK NETWORKS PTE. LTD. in Singapore, X-VPN runs on a strict no-logs policy. It does not track, record, or store your browsing activity, IP address, or App usage. For Australians who are increasingly concerned about how their data is handled by social media platforms, this means there’s simply less personal information in the system to begin with.
Since Singapore is outside the 5/9/14 Eyes intelligence-sharing countries, some users see this as an extra layer of comfort, feeling it may be safer than storing their data in countries that are formally part of long-standing intelligence-sharing arrangements.
Protect All Your Devices with One Account
Privacy shouldn’t stop at your phone. X-VPN works across all major systems, including iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Chromebook, Apple TV, and Chrome extensions, allowing adults to maintain consistent protection whether they’re browsing, working, or streaming at home. A single subscription covers multiple devices, making it easier to extend security across personal and household use.
Start Protecting Your Privacy — No ID, No Delays
Getting started with X-VPN’s free version doesn’t require a government ID, an email address, or any identifying information. Whether you’re looking to protect just one app or your entire online session, you can download X-VPN and begin encrypting your traffic in minutes, no sign-up forms, no unnecessary exposure.
It includes access to servers in 26 locations, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and more, all without needing to create an account or share any personal details.
What You Can Do Now to Stay in Control
As the SMMA law rolls out and more platforms are about to enforce age verification, Australians may find themselves navigating an internet that asks for more personal information than ever before. But if you’re an adult user who already meets the age requirement, you shouldn’t have to give up extra layers of privacy just to stay connected.
For adults who want more privacy without the pressure of handing over ID, X-VPN can help reduce unnecessary data exposure and keep more of their online activity under their own control.
Disclaimer
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. X-VPN is designed for adults who already meet the legal age requirements for online platforms. It does not alter, bypass, or interfere with the obligations social media platforms have under Australia’s SMMA law, nor does it exempt users from complying with platform-specific terms of service. Users concerned about legal responsibilities or digital privacy should seek independent advice.
About X-VPN
X-VPN is a global privacy and security service operated by LIGHTNINGLINK NETWORKS PTE. LTD., based in Singapore. With over 10,000 servers across 80 countries, X-VPN provides encrypted internet access using AES‑256 encryption, supporting users in protecting data, and maintaining anonymity online. The company enforces a strict No-Logs Policy, ensuring that no identifiable data is ever stored or shared.
Media Contact:
X-VPN
Sandra Mitchell
Source: X-VPN
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3fa04bc7-b43d-4574-aa4a-c9044202acdf
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3dcfefad-008e-4fe3-8885-7c6c26914e33
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4e38b07c-a5e0-41dd-b54e-d156cfdae6ff
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ccb8370a-0970-4ed2-981c-71ffd0f378e0
