Australia Says Social Platforms Removed 4.7 Million Under‑16 Accounts in First Month of Ban

Overview

• The eSafety commissioner reported about 4.7 million under‑16 accounts were deactivated since the law took effect on 10 December.
• Under the globally unprecedented law, children under 16 are barred from major social platforms and companies face fines of up to A$49.5 million for failing to take reasonable steps.
• Meta said it removed 331,000 Instagram, 173,000 Facebook and 40,000 Threads accounts before 11 December, and it is pressing for app‑store age checks and parental consent.
• Reddit says it is complying with the rules while suing the Australian government to try to overturn the ban.
• Regulators are monitoring short‑lived download spikes on smaller apps and have launched a multi‑year mental‑health study, as the prime minister hails early progress and opposition figures criticize gaps.