Australia Removes 4.7 Million Underage Social Media Accounts Following Under-16 Ban

Australia's world-first social media ban for users under 16, effective since December 10, has led to the removal of approximately 4.7 million underage accounts across major platforms including Meta, TikTok, and YouTube. The eSafety Commissioner described early compliance as encouraging, though full adherence and long-term impacts remain to be seen. Platforms face fines up to A$49.5 million for non-compliance. The law exempts messaging services and has inspired similar proposals internationally amid debates on child safety and privacy.