Australia Blocks 4.7 Mln Underage Social Media Accounts

Social media companies have blocked 4.7 million accounts belonging to minors in Australia following the world’s first nationwide ban on social media use for children under the age of 16, according to the country’s online safety regulator.

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner said the large-scale enforcement followed the law’s entry into force on December 10, requiring major platforms to prevent under-16s from holding accounts.

Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, said regulatory guidance and ongoing dialogue with platforms were delivering meaningful results, reflecting increased compliance with child safety rules.

Under the legislation, major platforms including Meta, TikTok and YouTube are required to block underage users or face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars, equivalent to about 33 million US dollars, if they fail to take concrete compliance measures.

Meta said last week it had removed more than 330,000 underage accounts on Instagram, 173,000 on Facebook and around 40,000 on Threads in the week ending December 11.

The company renewed calls for app stores to be required to verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent before children under 16 are allowed to download applications.

The Australian eSafety Commissioner acknowledged that age verification systems take time to implement effectively but stressed that platforms are expected to continue improving their performance.

Australia’s decision has attracted international attention as governments worldwide seek stronger regulation of social media platforms and their impact on children, positioning the country as a global leader in online safety policy.