In a landmark move for digital child protection, more than 4.7 million social media accounts belonging to Australians believed to be under 16 have been deactivated, removed, or restricted. This mass action followed the first days of Australia's world-first ban on social media for under-16s, which came into force on 10 December.
Platforms Comply with Sweeping New Law
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese revealed the staggering figure on Thursday, citing data provided to the eSafety commissioner. The commissioner had requested information from ten major platforms covered by the ban: Twitch, Kick, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, Instagram, Snap, X, TikTok, and Reddit.
While the government cited commercial confidentiality in not providing a full platform-by-platform breakdown, Meta confirmed it had deactivated almost 550,000 accounts across its Facebook, Instagram, and Threads services in the initial compliance drive. Other platforms' individual figures remain undisclosed.
Government Praise and Opposition Criticism
Prime Minister Albanese hailed the early results as "encouraging," stating that preliminary analysis suggests platforms are taking meaningful steps to prevent underage users from holding accounts. "Change doesn't happen overnight," he said. "But these early signs show it's important we've acted to make this change."
Communications Minister Anika Wells echoed this sentiment, noting eSafety would scrutinise the data to assess individual platforms' compliance. She acknowledged the law was not expected to achieve "perfection straight away" but asserted it was already "making a real, meaningful difference."
However, the federal opposition, which originally campaigned for the policy, criticised its implementation. Shadow Communications Minister Melissa McIntosh claimed the rollout had "fallen flat," arguing that many accounts remained active, some initially removed accounts had been reinstated, and age-verification tools were easily bypassed.
McIntosh also pointed to a migration of young users to platforms not initially named in the ban, such as Yope and Lemon8. The government has indicated it will approach other platforms to seek compliance if teens migrate en masse.
Global Context and Compliance Challenges
Australia's aggressive stance is being watched closely internationally, with countries like the UK considering similar measures. However, the policy debate continues, as a new UK study tracking 11 to 14-year-olds found no evidence that heavier social media use increased symptoms of anxiety or depression the following year.
The Australian ban relies on platforms to self-assess their inclusion, with some, like X alternative Bluesky, proactively implementing age-assurance measures despite not being on the original government list. The eSafety commissioner's ongoing role will be crucial in enforcing compliance and adapting to the evolving digital landscape where young users may seek new, unregulated spaces.
