Under-16s off Facebook, Instagram, TikTok: Australia enforces world-first social media ban

Wellington: Australian authorities have revoked access to roughly 4.7 million social media accounts identified as belonging to children since the country banned users under 16 from major platforms, officials confirmed.

The figures, reported to the government by 10 major social media platforms, offer the first glimpse of the scale of the ban, which came into effect in December amid concerns about harmful online environments for young people.

Officials described the 4.7 million figure as encouraging.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday that the law’s implementation and global attention is a source of national pride. “The fact that in spite of some skepticism, it’s working and being replicated around the world, is something Australians can be proud of,” he said.

Communications Minister Anika Wells said the milestone shows the government has successfully enforced the landmark law despite pushback from some of the world’s largest tech companies. “We stared down everybody who said it couldn’t be done,” she told reporters on Friday. “Now Australian parents can be confident that their kids can have their childhoods back.”

Platforms can verify users’ ages through ID documents, third-party facial age estimation technology, or by analysing existing account data such as account creation dates.

All 10 major companies covered by the ban reportedly complied and submitted their removal figures on time. The regulator now expects platforms to focus on preventing children from creating new accounts or bypassing the rules.

Platforms face heavy fines if non-compliant

Under the new law, platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Twitch face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33.2 million) if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to remove accounts belonging to Australian children under 16. Messaging services like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are exempt.

Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, noted that about 2.5 million Australians are aged between 8 and 15, and past research suggested that 84% of 8- to 12-year-olds already held social media accounts. “The fact that 4.7 million accounts have been deactivated or restricted is encouraging,” she said. “We’re preventing predatory social media companies from accessing our children.”

Meta reports 550,000 accounts removed

Although officials did not provide a breakdown by platform, Meta — owner of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads — said it removed nearly 550,000 accounts identified as underage the day after the ban came into force. In a blog post, the company criticised the legislation and warned that smaller platforms not subject to the ban may pose safety risks.

Meta also highlighted that children could still encounter age-inappropriate content through algorithm-driven browsing.

Criticism and persisting challenges

The law has been widely praised by parents and child-safety advocates but criticised by online privacy groups and some youth organisations. Opponents argued that online spaces can provide support for vulnerable children or those living in remote areas. Some teenagers reportedly managed to bypass age verification tools, sometimes with help from parents or older siblings.

Opposition lawmakers have suggested young people may be bypassing the ban or moving to smaller, less-monitored apps. Inman Grant acknowledged a temporary spike in downloads of alternative apps when the ban came into effect but said there was no sustained increase in usage.

She also revealed that the eSafety Office plans to introduce “world-leading AI companion and chatbot restrictions” in March, though further details were not disclosed.

Other countries watching Australia

The legislation sparked intense debate in Australia over technology use, privacy, child safety, and mental health, and has drawn interest from other countries considering similar restrictions.

Denmark, for example, announced plans last November to ban social media for children under 15.

Similarly, Malaysia had announced plans to block children under 16 from signing up to social media accounts from 2026.

In December, the Madras High Court had also observed that the Union government may explore the possibility of bringing a law similar to Australia’s framework.

(With AP inputs)