Sydney, Australia – Australia has reported a landmark victory in protecting children online, with approximately 4.7 million social media accounts belonging to minors deactivated or restricted since the introduction of the country’s ban on social media use for children under 16 in December 2025.
Officials say the figures represent the first public indication of the scale of the ban and its immediate impact, signaling a major step in child online safety legislation.
Government Celebrates Ban as a Success
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Communications Minister Anika Wells hailed the ban as a triumph over powerful global tech companies:
“We stared down everybody who said it couldn’t be done, some of the most powerful and rich companies in the world and their supporters. Now Australian parents can be confident that their kids can have their childhoods back.”
The ban has been widely discussed since it was first debated in 2024 and has provoked a national conversation about privacy, mental health, and online safety for children.
Scope of the Ban
The ban targets the largest social media platforms, including:
- TikTok
- Snapchat
- Threads
- X
- YouTube
- Twitch
- Kick
Platforms face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($33.2 million USD) if they fail to remove accounts of Australian children under 16. Messaging services, such as WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, are exempt.
To verify age, platforms can request:
- Copies of identification documents
- Third-party age estimation technologies
- Inferences from existing account data
Impact on Australian Children
According to eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, there are about 2.5 million Australians aged 8–15, and prior estimates suggested that 84% of 8–12-year-olds had social media accounts.
“We’re preventing predatory social media companies from accessing our children,” Inman Grant said.
The 10 biggest platforms reportedly complied with the ban, and efforts are now shifting toward preventing children from creating new accounts or bypassing age restrictions.
Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, reported removing nearly 550,000 accounts by the day after the ban took effect, though the company criticized the law, arguing smaller platforms not covered may not prioritize child safety.
Controversies and Challenges
While the law has been widely praised by parents and child safety advocates, critics have raised concerns:
- Online privacy groups argue the law limits autonomy for teenagers.
- Some teens in rural or isolated areas rely on online spaces for social interaction.
- Reports suggest some children have circumvented age-verification technologies with help from older siblings or parents.
Data showed a temporary spike in downloads of alternative apps immediately after the ban, although overall usage did not significantly increase.
Global Influence and Future Plans
Australia’s pioneering move has attracted international attention. Denmark, for example, announced plans in November 2025 to implement a similar ban for children under 15.
“The fact that in spite of some scepticism out there, it’s working and being replicated now around the world, is something that is a source of Australian pride,” said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Looking ahead, the eSafety Office plans to implement world-leading AI companion and chatbot restrictions in March 2026, aiming to further protect children in digital environments.
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