Australia's eSafety regulator reports that about 4.7 million social media accounts held by users under 16 were deactivated in the first month after a nationwide ban took effect on December 10. The legislation, which targets platforms rather than children or parents, exposes companies to fines up to A$49.5 million for non-compliance. Major services covered include Meta, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and X, while Reddit has launched legal action to challenge the law. A multi-year mental health study will monitor the ban's long-term effects.
Australia's Under-16 Social Media Ban: 4.7 Million Teen Accounts Deactivated in First Month
A girl uses her mobile phone in Sydney, Australia, November 22, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams
SYDNEY, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Australia's internet safety regulator says social media platforms have deactivated roughly 4.7 million accounts belonging to users under 16 in the month after a pioneering law took effect on December 10. The figure, released by the eSafety Commissioner, underscores the rapid and broad impact of the world's first national minimum-age ban for social media.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the outcome as evidence the legislation is working. He described the move as 'a source of Australian pride' and noted other countries are watching and adopting similar approaches.
'Today, we can announce that this is working,' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.
What the Numbers Mean
The government's tally — about 4.7 million accounts — is substantially higher than earlier estimates and amounts to more than two accounts for every Australian aged 10 to 16, based on population figures. Meta said it removed around 550,000 underage accounts across Instagram, Facebook and Threads. The rule applies to major platforms including Google's YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and X (formerly Twitter).
Compliance, Fines and Legal Challenges
The law targets platforms rather than children or their parents and exposes companies to fines of up to A$49.5 million (about $33 million) for non-compliance. Most companies covered by the ban have said they will comply. Reddit has indicated partial compliance but has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the ban; the government has pledged to defend the legislation in court.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant cautioned that some underage accounts remain active and it is too early to claim full compliance. 'We don't expect safety laws to eliminate every single breach,' she said, stressing that enforcement has practical limits while still delivering meaningful change.
Migration, Usage and Ongoing Monitoring
Smaller social apps saw a spike in downloads in Australia before the December rollout, prompting eSafety to monitor potential migration trends. So far, those download surges have not translated into sustained usage, according to the regulator.
A multi-year study involving mental health experts will track the ban's longer-term effects on young people. Regulators and lawmakers overseas — including in France, Malaysia and Indonesia — are closely watching Australia's implementation for lessons on enforcement and impact.
(Reporting by Byron Kaye and Alasdair Pal; Editing by Kate Mayberry and Stephen Coates)
Help us improve.
