4.7 million accounts scrubbed as Australia bans social media for kids
dpa 16.01.2026
Social media platforms have disabled, deleted or restricted more than 4.7 million accounts since Australia banned under-16s from holding their own accounts, in what the government calls an "important" step to keeping children safe online.
The law, which entered force in December, makes Australia the first country to introduce nationwide age-based restrictions of this kind and positions it as a global test case for online child protection.
The rules apply to platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, X, Reddit and Twitch. Messaging and gaming services such as Roblox, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are exempt.
Preliminary assessments by the eSafety Commissioner show affected platforms are making "meaningful effort" to prevent minors from accessing their services, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says.
"We want our kids to have a childhood and parents to know we have their backs," Albanese says.
"Every account deactivated could mean one extra young person with more free time to build their community and identity offline," says Communications Minister Anika Wells.
Parliament passed the legislation in late 2024 with backing from most major parties. Affected companies were given a year to introduce age verification measures, and violations will result in hefty fines of up to $49.5 million Australian ($33 million).
Legal challenge by Reddit
Reddit, a social media platform and forum-style website where content is socially curated and promoted by site members through voting, is challenging the ban in court. It says the move infringes on free political speech and poses privacy risks.
But Australia says when governments take strong action to protect citizens against highly addictive, highly damaging products, companies that profit most from them often take legal steps against them.
These world-leading social media reforms "are going to do so much to improve the social skills, the learning skills, and, importantly, the mental health of young Australians," says Health Minister Mark Butler.
Worldwide, countless parents and children alike are already wrangling with the best way to handle technology.
After all, many phone users of all ages struggle with low energy, lack of focus, a sense of aimlessness when scrolling online and overall online dread.
Plus, overuse of our phones and devices harms our bodies as we gaze at screens all day, tiring out our eyes, getting "tech neck" and disrupting our circadian rhythms, lowering our sleep quality.
Many of us may be trying to find more mindful ways of using social media, with options that include setting time limits, turning off notifications and curating our feeds more carefully.
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