Australia Removes 4.7M Kids' Social Media Accounts
Social media companies have closed nearly 5 million accounts belonging to Australian children since the country's groundbreaking under-16 ban took effect. The numbers prove the world's first law of its kind is working, giving other nations a blueprint to protect kids online.
Nearly 5 million young Australians just got their childhoods back, and the world is watching.
Since Australia banned social media for children under 16 in December, tech giants have removed 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to kids. The milestone makes Australia the first country to successfully enforce such a ban at scale.
"We stared down some of the most powerful and rich companies in the world," communications minister Anika Wells announced Friday. "Now Australian parents can be confident that their kids can have their childhoods back."
The numbers came from 10 major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and X. All reported their removal figures on time to Australia's regulator, showing early cooperation with the landmark law.
About 2.5 million Australians fall in the 8 to 15 age range. Past estimates suggested 84 percent of eight to 12-year-olds held social media accounts, meaning many kids had multiple profiles across different platforms.
Meta alone removed nearly 550,000 accounts in the first 24 hours after the ban took effect. The company is now shifting focus from removing existing accounts to preventing kids from creating new ones or finding workarounds.
The platforms face serious consequences for non-compliance. Companies can be fined up to $33.2 million if they fail to take reasonable steps to keep underage users off their sites.
The Ripple Effect
Countries around the world are taking notes. Denmark announced plans in November for a similar ban covering children under 15, citing Australia's courage in confronting Big Tech.
"The fact that in spite of some skepticism, it's working and being replicated around the world is something that is a source of Australian pride," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Friday.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant reported encouraging early data. While downloads of alternative apps spiked when the ban launched, actual usage hasn't increased long-term. Kids aren't simply migrating to less-regulated platforms as critics predicted.
The law exempts messaging services like WhatsApp, ensuring kids can still communicate safely. To verify ages, platforms can request ID documents, use facial recognition technology, or make inferences from existing account data.
The move earned praise from parents and child safety advocates who've watched social media's impact on mental health and development. Australia's regulator plans to introduce new AI companion and chatbot restrictions in March, building on this momentum.
Sometimes protecting kids means standing up to the biggest companies on Earth, and Australia just showed the world it can be done.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera English
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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