Australia has blocked millions of teenagers' social media accounts

Platforms in Australia deleted up to 4.7 million accounts belonging to minors during the first month of the social media ban for people under the age of 16.

The new law, which came into effect on December 10, aims to ensure greater online protection for children. Companies face fines of up to AUD 49.5 million for non-compliance, but neither children nor parents face any penalties.

The number of accounts deleted far exceeded initial expectations. Meta removed approximately 550,000 accounts from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. The law also applies to platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and X.

Reddit has declared its compliance with the rules, but has also sued the Australian government.

The full implementation of age checks has not yet been completed, but according to Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, the initial results, including the cooperation of the platforms, are promising. The effectiveness of the ban will also be evaluated in the long term by a study involving mental health experts.

(reuters, pir)