Australia Declares Child Social Media Ban Victory as 4.7m Accounts Closed
Australia Declares Child Social Media Ban Victory as 4.7m Accounts Closed
Australian government has declared its landmark child social media ban a success, revealing that approximately 4.7 million accounts have been closed or restricted since the law was enacted in December.
Communications Minister Anika Wells praised the outcome, stating that the government had “stared down” some of the world’s most powerful tech companies to return childhoods to Australian youth.
The figures were compiled from reports submitted by 10 major platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, and Snapchat. Under the legislation, these companies face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($33.2m) if they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent children under the age of 16 from using their services.
While messaging apps like WhatsApp remain exempt, the ban focuses on platforms driven by algorithms that officials argue create harmful online environments.
To enforce the age limit, social media companies are utilizing various methods such as ID verification, third-party age estimation through facial scanning, and data inference from existing account history. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant noted that while there are roughly 2.5 million Australians aged 8 to 15, the high number of removed accounts reflects the common practice of children holding multiple profiles across various platforms.
Despite the government’s “victory” declaration, the ban has faced criticism from tech giants and privacy advocates. Meta recently disclosed it had removed 550,000 accounts but argued that the ban might drive children toward smaller, less regulated platforms with fewer safety protections. Some teenagers have also reportedly found ways to circumvent the restrictions using VPNs or with help from older relatives.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed pride in the policy, noting that other nations, such as Denmark, are now looking to replicate Australia’s model. However, the government acknowledges that the battle is ongoing; the regulator is now shifting its focus toward preventing the creation of new underage accounts and preparing upcoming restrictions on AI chatbots and companions scheduled for March.
