More than 4.7m social media accounts blocked after Australia’s under-16 ban came into force, PM says

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 1 min read 100% complete by Josh Taylor Technology reporterJanuary 15, 2026 at 12:30 PM

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In December, Australia implemented a ban on social media use for individuals under 16. Following the ban's enforcement on December 10th, over 4.7 million social media accounts belonging to Australians deemed underage were deactivated, removed, or restricted across platforms like Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X. The Australian eSafety commissioner requested data from each platform to assess compliance with the new law. The Prime Minister announced the figures, highlighting the scale of the action taken by social media companies to adhere to the ban. This initiative aims to protect younger users from potential online harms.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

eSafety commissioner 60% Twitch 70% Kick 70% YouTube 70% Threads 70% Facebook 70% Snap 70% X 70% TikTok 70% Reddit 70% Instagram 70% Australia 90%

Keywords

social media ban 100% under 16 90% account removal 80% social media accounts 70% australia 60% age restriction 50% esafety commissioner 50% deactivated accounts 40%