SYDNEY – Australia’s pioneering legislation prohibiting social media access for users under 16 has resulted in the removal of 4.7 million accounts since its implementation, according to the nation’s online safety regulatory body. The groundbreaking policy, which took effect on December 10, represents the world’s first comprehensive age restriction mandate for social media platforms.
Initial compliance data indicates substantial action by major technology corporations to eliminate underage users from their platforms. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant confirmed that regulatory oversight and direct engagement with platforms have yielded significant outcomes in the policy’s initial phase. “Our regulatory guidance and collaborative efforts with platforms are already demonstrating substantial results,” Inman Grant stated.
The legislative framework imposes severe financial penalties for non-compliance, with companies facing fines up to AU$49.5 million (approximately US$33 million) if they fail to implement “reasonable steps” to enforce the age restrictions. Major platforms including Meta, TikTok, and YouTube are subject to these requirements.
Meta reported removing 331,000 underage accounts from Instagram, 173,000 from Facebook, and 40,000 from Threads during the week ending December 11. Despite this enforcement action, the company reiterated its position that app stores should bear responsibility for age verification and parental consent processes before under-16 users can download applications.
The regulatory challenge involves preventing circumvention attempts, with Commissioner Inman Grant emphasizing that industry participants must actively work against users migrating to alternative platforms. While acknowledging that some determined teenagers may find creative workarounds, she compared the policy to other societal safety measures where success is measured through harm reduction and cultural norm transformation rather than perfect compliance.
Notably, lesser-known platforms including BlueSky and Lemon8 experienced significant download surges preceding the ban’s implementation. Both platforms have acknowledged their obligation to comply with Australian regulations and are cooperating with the eSafety Commission.
Given the rapidly evolving digital landscape and countless online services, the regulator maintains its compliance focus will prioritize platforms with the highest Australian user bases rather than attempting comprehensive coverage of all services.