Australia declares child social media ban victory as 4.7m accounts closed

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by By APJanuary 16, 2026 at 09:50 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

In January 2026, Australian officials announced that social media companies have closed approximately 4.7 million accounts belonging to children under 16, following the country's ban on social media use for that age group, enacted in December 2025. The ban, aimed at protecting children from harmful online environments, requires platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and X to remove underage accounts or face substantial fines. The government stated that this action allows Australian parents to be confident that their kids can have their childhoods back. Platforms verify age through methods like ID verification or age estimation technology. While messaging services are exempt, the ban has sparked debates about technology, privacy, and mental health, prompting other countries to consider similar measures.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

YouTube 40% Reddit 40% Snapchat 40% Threads 40% TikTok 40% X 40% Kick 40% Instagram 50% Meta 60% Facebook ×260% Anika Wells 70% Australia ×890%

Keywords

social media ban 100% child safety 80% age verification 70% australia 70% online environments 60% privacy 50% mental health 50% social media platforms 40%