In a groundbreaking enforcement of digital age restrictions, Australian regulatory authorities have revealed that technology giants have disabled approximately 4.7 million accounts belonging to underage users. This massive account removal initiative comes as a direct result of Australia’s pioneering legislation mandating social media platforms to prevent users under 16 from maintaining accounts, which took effect on December 10 last year.
The country’s online safety watchdog, led by eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, reported that initial compliance data demonstrates substantial action from major platforms including Meta, TikTok, and YouTube. “Our regulatory guidance and ongoing engagement with platforms are already yielding significant outcomes,” Commissioner Inman Grant stated, highlighting the proactive measures taken by these companies.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, disclosed specific figures showing the removal of 331,000 underage accounts from Instagram, 173,000 from Facebook, and 40,000 from Threads during the critical implementation week ending December 11. Despite this compliance, Meta has reiterated its position that app stores should bear responsibility for age verification and obtaining parental consent before minors can download applications, arguing this approach would prevent a perpetual “whack-a-mole” scenario where teenagers migrate to alternative platforms to circumvent restrictions.
The regulatory framework imposes severe financial penalties for non-compliance, with companies facing fines of up to AU$49.5 million (approximately US$33 million) if they fail to implement “reasonable steps” to adhere to the age restrictions. The eSafety Commission acknowledges that accurate age verification presents technical challenges but maintains expectations for continuous improvement in platform performance.
Commissioner Inman Grant emphasized that while complete compliance assessment remains premature, early indicators are encouraging. She noted that some determined minors might find creative ways to maintain social media presence, but compared the situation to other safety regulations where success is measured through harm reduction and cultural norm transformation rather than perfect enforcement.
The implementation has triggered interesting market dynamics, with lesser-known platforms like BlueSky and Lemon8 experiencing download surges ahead of the ban’s effective date. However, these platforms have recognized their obligation under the legislation and are cooperating with Australian regulators. The eSafety Commission acknowledges the practical challenges of regulating an evolving digital landscape with countless services but confirms its compliance focus will prioritize platforms with the highest Australian user concentrations.