01/16/2026, 07:0601/16/2026, 07:06
For a good month now, children and young people under the age of 16 in Australia have no longer been allowed to have their own social media accounts. Now there are the first figures: According to the government, more than 4.7 million accounts of children and young people have been deactivated, deleted or restricted since the relevant law came into force on December 10th. Australia was the first country in the world to introduce corresponding rules and is therefore considered a pioneer in digital child protection.
Those affected by the law include Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, X, Reddit and Twitch.Image: keystone
According to preliminary evaluations by the online security authority eSafety, affected platforms are making “serious efforts” to deny access to minors. Change doesn’t happen overnight, said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “But these first results show how important it was that we took this step. We want our children to have a childhood – and for parents to know that we have their back.”
Those affected by the law include Instagram, Tiktok, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, X, Reddit and Twitch. Various messenger and game services such as Roblox, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are excluded.
Reddit is suing the law
The law had already been passed at the end of 2024. Almost all major parties had supported Prime Minister Albanese’s initiative in parliament. The platforms were given twelve months to adapt to the new age restrictions. If violations occur, companies face hefty fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (28.5 million euros). Reddit has filed a lawsuit against the ban. (sda/dpa)