Australia’s under-16 social media ban leads to 4.7 million account deactivations in first month

Social media platforms operating in Australia have restricted or removed access to approximately 4.7 million accounts linked to users under the age of 16 during the first month of the country’s new minimum age law, according to figures released by the eSafety Commissioner.

The legislation, which came into force on December 10, places responsibility on platforms to prevent under-16s from holding accounts, with penalties of up to A$49.5 million for non-compliance. Children and their parents are not subject to fines under the law. Initial compliance data suggests platforms have moved quickly to enforce the rules, marking the first large-scale test of a social media age ban in a Western country.

The scale of account removals exceeds earlier estimates and equates to more than two accounts per Australian aged between 10 and 16, based on population data. Meta previously disclosed that it had removed around 550,000 underage accounts across Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. The minimum age requirement also applies to services including YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, X, and Reddit, though Reddit is currently challenging the law in court while continuing to comply.

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the figures indicate platforms are taking significant steps to meet their obligations, while cautioning that it is too early to conclude that full compliance has been achieved. Some under-16 accounts remain active, and the accuracy and effectiveness of age-assurance systems are expected to improve over time.

Regulators have shifted their focus from preparation to monitoring and enforcement, prioritising platforms with the highest levels of under-16 usage. According to eSafety, early feedback from major age-assurance providers suggests the rollout has been relatively smooth, supported by public communication ahead of the December deadline.

The regulator is also tracking potential migration to smaller or alternative platforms. While some services saw a spike in downloads in the lead-up to the ban, eSafety said these increases have not yet translated into sustained usage. Authorities plan to continue collecting data and conducting a long-term evaluation, including a longitudinal study with youth mental health experts, to assess the broader impact of the policy over time.

As enforcement continues, Australia’s approach is being closely watched by other governments considering similar age-based restrictions on social media access.