Social media platforms have deactivated nearly five million accounts belonging to Australian teenagers just one month after the country’s world first ban on under 16s came into force, according to the national internet regulator. The development suggests the new law has had an immediate and far reaching impact on how major platforms operate in Australia.
The eSafety Commissioner said companies had so far removed about 4.7 million accounts held by users under the age of 16 to comply with the legislation, which took effect on December 10. Some platforms had already begun closing affected accounts in the weeks leading up to the deadline, anticipating the new regulatory requirements.
The figures mark the first official government data on compliance and indicate that technology companies are taking the law seriously. Under the legislation, platforms that fail to comply face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars, though the law does not impose penalties on children or their parents.
The scale of the removals has exceeded earlier estimates and highlights the depth of underage social media use in the country. The total equates to more than two accounts for every Australian aged between 10 and 16, based on population data. Meta has previously disclosed that it removed about 550,000 underage accounts across Instagram, Facebook and Threads.
The age restriction applies across major platforms including YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and X, formerly known as Twitter. Reddit has said it is complying with the law but is also challenging it in court, seeking to overturn the ban. The Australian government has maintained that it will vigorously defend the legislation, positioning it as a landmark move to strengthen online safety for children.