Australian government has deactivated nearly 4.7 million social media accounts belonging to children under 16 in the first month after the nation’s groundbreaking age-based ban took effect, government data shows.
The eSafety Commissioner said the figure reflects platforms’ efforts to comply with a law that took effect Dec. 10 and requires major social networks to ensure users under 16 cannot hold accounts. Companies that fail to comply face fines of up to A$49.5 million (about US$33 million). The legislation does not hold children or their parents legally responsible.
The tally far exceeded expectations and amounts to more than two accounts for every Australian aged 10 to 16, based on population data. Meta Platforms previously reported it had removed some 550,000 underage accounts from Instagram, Facebook and Threads.
The rule applies to platforms including Google’s YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and Elon Musk’s X, formerly Twitter. Reddit has said it is complying but has filed a legal challenge to overturn the ban. The government has pledged to defend the law. Earlier in October 2025, Australia ordered four artificial-intelligence chatbot companies to explain their measures to protect children from exposure to sexual or self-harm material
Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the ban’s rollout has been smooth, aided by public education and cooperation with age-assurance providers that help verify users’ ages. Some underage accounts remain active as companies refine their systems, she added.
Smaller social media apps saw temporary spikes in downloads ahead of the ban, but regulators said those surges did not translate into sustained use. The government also plans a long-term study with mental health experts to assess the ban’s impact.
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