Australia removes 4.7M kids from social media platforms in first month of historic ban

Fox News - WorldCenter-RightEN 3 min read 100% complete by Michael SinkewiczJanuary 16, 2026 at 09:22 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

In December, Australia implemented a law requiring social media platforms to identify and deactivate accounts of users under 16. In the first month, social media companies removed access for roughly 4.7 million accounts. The law targets ten major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, with potential fines for non-compliance. Australian officials tout the law's early success in protecting children from the negative impacts of online environments, citing the high percentage of young children with social media accounts. While acknowledging enforcement challenges and remaining underage accounts, officials are encouraged by the initial results.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

YouTube 40% Kick 40% Twitch 40% Threads 40% Reddit 40% X 50% Facebook 50% Anthony Albanese 60% TikTok ×270% Snapchat ×270% Instagram ×270% Australia ×790%

Keywords

social media ban 100% underage users 90% child safety 80% australia 70% social media platforms 70% age restrictions 60% account deactivation 50% online environments 40%