Social media platforms removed 4.7 million accounts after Australia banned them for children
Summary
Australia's social media ban for under-16s has led to removal of 4.7 million child accounts across major platforms, aiming to protect children's online safety and mental health.
Key Points
- Australia banned social media use for children under 16 in December 2023, leading to removal of about 4.7 million accounts.
- Ten major social media platforms reported compliance with the ban, risking fines up to 49.5 million AUD for non-compliance.
- Meta removed nearly 550,000 underage accounts and criticized the ban for not applying to smaller platforms and browsing content.
- The Australian eSafety Commissioner plans new AI restrictions and noted other countries like Denmark considering similar bans.
