Technology companies have disabled or limited access to 4.7 million social media accounts following Australia’s recent ban on under-16s using platforms like Instagram, X, and TikTok. The companies informed the eSafety Commissioner that they had taken action against accounts belonging to children under 16. With a significant number of children in Australia believed to have multiple accounts on various platforms, Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant stated that there is still much work to be done to ensure the ban’s success. She emphasized that the impact of the ban will be long-term, aiming to reduce children’s exposure to addictive and potentially harmful content.
Australia made history by being the first country to prohibit social media access for under-16s, requiring technology companies to implement age verification measures to prevent minors from holding accounts. Companies could face fines up to A$50 million for consistent violations of the law. Communication Minister Anika Wells expressed confidence in the ban’s ability to give Australian children back their childhood.
It remains uncertain how many social media accounts were held by Australian minors before the ban, covering platforms such as YouTube, Snap, and Facebook. Inman-Grant mentioned the possibility of underage users finding ways to bypass the restrictions. The regulator plans to collaborate with social media platforms to enhance age verification procedures and address any attempts to evade the regulations.
Meta reported removing over half a million accounts across its platforms in response to the ban. However, critics have observed a rise in downloads of alternative social media apps like Yope and Coverstar, indicating a potential shift of younger users to unregulated platforms. Inman-Grant acknowledged the trend but noted that the actual usage of these apps did not correspond to the download numbers.
Furthermore, the regulator identified smaller apps like Bluesky, Lemon8, and Yubo as social media platforms subject to the ban’s regulations. Investigations have also been launched into X’s Grok for potentially generating content that sexualizes or exploits individuals, particularly minors.
