Australia reports 5 million under-16 social media accounts blocked since December 2025

September 27, 2026 at 12:33 AM3 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Australia's eSafety regulator reports platforms blocked over 5 million accounts of users under 16 since the December 10, 2025 ban took effect. The share of under-16s with an account fell from 52.4% to 42.1% in the first three months, while overall social media use dropped from 85.9% to 81.5%. The government is now seeking higher penalties for non-compliant platforms.

Key Facts

From December 10, 2025, platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube, Kick and Reddit must take reasonable measures to prevent Australians under 16 from creating or keeping accounts.
By mid-December 2025, platforms had blocked 4.7 million accounts of users under 16; by June 2026 the figure exceeded 5 million.
The share of under-16s with a social media account fell from 52.4% to 42.1% in the first three months of the ban, according to eSafety research covering over 4,000 children and families.
The share of under-16s using social media at all, including viewing without an account, dropped from 85.9% to 81.5% over the same period.
Australian authorities are now strengthening oversight and seeking higher fines for platforms that fail to comply with the age-verification law.

The Ban and Its Scope

Since December 10, 2025, platforms covered by Australian law must take reasonable measures to prevent residents under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. The eSafety regulator lists Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube, Kick and Reddit as covered services, though the list may change. Messaging apps and online games are generally excluded unless a service functions as a social network. The law targets personal accounts on specific platforms rather than cutting teenagers off from the internet entirely, and no fines are imposed on children or parents.

Account Removals and Usage Decline

In January 2026, eSafety reported that platforms had blocked 4.7 million accounts of users under 16 by mid-December 2025. By June 2026, the government said more than 5 million accounts had been removed, deactivated or restricted. The number counts accounts, not individual children, since one teenager may hold profiles on several platforms. A long-term eSafety study of over 4,000 children and families found the share of under-16s with an account fell from 52.4% to 42.1% in the first three months. The share using social media at all, including viewing without an account, dropped from 85.9% to 81.5%, a statistically significant but modest decline.

Enforcement and Relevance for Kazakhstan

Australian authorities are strengthening oversight and seeking higher fines for platforms that fail to demonstrate reasonable age-verification measures. The fact that a teenager evades the ban does not by itself prove a company violated the law; the regulator must establish whether the company's actions were reasonable and sufficient. The study also found many teenagers who had accounts before the law took effect kept access or opened new profiles. Parents reported less social pressure, and the share of children upset about lacking social media fell from 43.3% to 36.3%, though some teenagers said communication with peers worsened. Kazakhstan is discussing a similar age threshold for social media registration, and Australian data help separate expectations from first measurable results.