Nearly 5 million accounts removed in first month of Australia’s social media ban for users under 16

Nearly 5 million accounts have been removed in the first month of Australia’s social media ban for users under 16, according to the country’s internet regulator.The Australian eSafety Commissioner said that social media platforms had so far removed about 4.7 million accounts held by children under 16 to comply with a law that took effect on Dec. 10, Reuters reported. Some platforms had said they would start closing affected accounts in the weeks leading up to the deadline.
The law includes fines up to $33 million for social media platforms that do not comply, but doesn’t hold children or their parents liable.
The number so far equates to more than two accounts for every Australian aged 10 to 16, based on population data.
Meta previously said it had taken down 550,000 underage accounts from its Facebook, Instagram, and Threads platforms.
The law also applies to YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and X. Reddit said it is complying with the law but is suing the Australian government in an effort to overturn the ban. The government said that it will defend the law.
“It is clear that eSafety’s regulatory guidance and engagement with platforms is already delivering significant outcomes,” Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in a statement.
She added that some underage accounts remain active, and it was too early to declare full compliance, as effective age checks would take time.
Some smaller social media apps reported an increase in downloads in Australia leading up to the law’s December rollout, and eSafety said it would monitor what it called migration trends. However, eSafety said the initial download spikes had not translated into sustained usage.
Mental health experts are conducting a study to track the ban’s long-term impact for several years.

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