Social media companies deleted 4.7 million accounts following Australia’s ban on children using the platforms, marking the first clear measure of the law’s impact since it came into force in December. Officials say the sweeping action shows the policy is being enforced at scale—and delivering reassurance to families concerned about online harms.
Australia’s communications minister, Anika Wells, said the outcome defied skeptics who doubted whether powerful tech firms would comply. According to Wells, parents can now feel more confident that their children are being shielded from harmful online environments and regaining a more balanced childhood away from algorithm-driven platforms.
Early Data Shows Broad Compliance
The figures were submitted to the Australian government by 10 major social media platforms and represent the first official snapshot of enforcement since the ban took effect. The law, which prohibits children under 16 from using most social platforms, sparked intense national debate around privacy, mental health, child safety, and technology regulation—while also drawing global attention.
Officials described the numbers as encouraging, noting that the law carries significant penalties. Platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitch, Threads, and Kick face fines of up to A$49.5 million if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to remove underage accounts. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are exempt.
To verify users’ ages, companies may request identification, rely on third-party age-estimation technology using facial analysis, or infer age from existing account data, such as how long an account has been active.
Millions of Children Previously Active Online
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said around 2.5 million Australians are aged between 8 and 15, with previous estimates suggesting that more than 80% of children aged 8 to 12 had at least one social media account. While it remains unclear how many total accounts existed across all platforms, she said the removal or restriction of 4.7 million accounts was a positive sign.
Inman Grant added that all 10 major platforms complied with reporting requirements and met regulatory deadlines. She said the next phase will focus less on deleting existing accounts and more on preventing children from creating new ones or bypassing safeguards.
Platform Responses and Criticism
Australian authorities did not release a platform-by-platform breakdown. However, Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, disclosed that it removed nearly 550,000 under-16 accounts within a day of the ban’s launch.
In a blog post, Meta criticized the policy, arguing that smaller or unregulated platforms could pose greater risks and warning that children may still encounter algorithm-driven content even when browsing without accounts—one of the concerns that prompted lawmakers to act.
Public Support—and Pushback
The ban has been widely welcomed by parents and child safety advocates. Critics, including privacy groups and some youth organizations, argue it could isolate vulnerable teenagers who rely on online communities for support, particularly in remote regions of Australia. Some young users have also claimed they found ways around age checks, occasionally with help from family members.
A Model Other Nations Are Watching
Since Australia began debating the measure in 2024, other countries have explored similar restrictions. Denmark, for example, has announced plans to pursue a ban for children under 15.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the early results were a point of national pride, noting that a once-controversial idea is now influencing policy discussions worldwide.
Opposition lawmakers have questioned whether young users are simply shifting to less-regulated apps. Inman Grant acknowledged a short-term rise in alternative app downloads when the ban began, but said there is no evidence yet of sustained increases in usage.
