Canberra | Jan 16, 2026

In the first tangible outcome of Australia’s landmark law banning social media use by children under 16, platforms have deactivated or restricted approximately 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to minors, officials said on Friday. The measure, which came into effect in December 2025, has been hailed by the government as a victory for child safety and parental control.

Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters, “We stared down everybody who said it couldn’t be done — some of the most powerful and wealthy companies in the world. Now Australian parents can be confident that their kids can have their childhoods back.”

The figures, reported by 10 major social media platforms, highlight the scale of the ban and are the first official statistics since its enactment. Platforms covered include Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Twitch. Messaging services such as WhatsApp and Messenger are exempt from the law.

Under the legislation, platforms face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($33.2 million) if they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent underage users from accessing services. Companies can verify age through identification documents, third-party age estimation technology, or by analyzing existing account data such as how long the account has been active.

According to eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, Australia has around 2.5 million children aged 8–15, and previous studies suggested that 84% of 8- to 12-year-olds already had social media accounts. While the exact total of underage accounts across all platforms is unknown, the 4.7 million figure of deactivated or restricted accounts is considered “encouraging” by officials.

“We’re preventing predatory social media companies from accessing our children,” Inman Grant said, emphasizing that compliance by the largest platforms has been prompt and thorough. The next focus will be preventing children from creating new accounts or circumventing restrictions.

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, reported removing 550,000 accounts within a day of the ban’s enactment. However, the company criticized the ban, warning that smaller platforms outside its scope might not enforce similar safeguards, and that browsing algorithms could still expose children to harmful content — a central concern behind the law.

The ban has received strong support from parents and child safety groups, although online privacy advocates and some teenagers expressed concern, noting that social media can provide crucial social support for vulnerable or geographically isolated youth. Instances of minors bypassing the rules with parental help or by deceiving age verification systems have been reported.

Australia’s approach has already attracted international attention. Countries such as Denmark are considering similar bans, citing Australia’s success as a model. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Friday, “The fact that, in spite of some skepticism, it’s working and being replicated around the world is a source of Australian pride.”

While early data showed a spike in downloads of alternative apps following the ban, Inman Grant said there was no clear increase in long-term usage trends. She also announced that her office plans to introduce world-leading restrictions on AI companions and chatbots by March, signaling further measures to safeguard children online.