Share this @internewscast.com


The government has hailed data showing over 4.7 million under-16 accounts had been deactivated, removed or restricted within days of social media restrictions coming into effect, with one minister calling it a “huge achievement”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was “encouraging that social media companies are making meaningful effort to comply with laws and keep kids off their platforms”.
“Change doesn’t happen overnight. But these early signs show it’s important we’ve acted to make this change,” he said in a statement sent to media outlets on Thursday, which also contained the preliminary figures provided to the eSafety Commissioner.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said the number of under-16 social media accounts that had been deactivated after the laws took effect on 10 December was a “huge achievement”.

“From the outset, we understood that achieving flawless results immediately was unrealistic, but preliminary data indicates that this legislation is having a significant, positive impact,” she stated in the announcement.

“We recognize the necessity for further efforts, and the eSafety Commissioner is thoroughly analyzing this information to assess the compliance of individual platforms,” she added.

“Additional data will be essential to fully understand the implementation process,” she noted.

University of Sydney researcher Timothy Koskie told SBS News that 4.7 million was an “extraordinarily high number” but cautioned that “some of those accounts are going to be multiple platforms for individuals”.
He said that, given the number of platforms included in the ban, and the number of “particularly socially media savvy kids”, it was impossible to tell how many under-16s had actually stopped using social media.
“We can see that it’s shutting down accounts and that was one of the slated things that they were going to do,” said Koskie, who is a post-doctoral associate at the university’s School of Media and Communications.
“As far as the top line item of protecting youth from the risks of social media, it might be a little bit of a bridge to say that shutting down the accounts means protecting the youth, because we don’t necessarily know, for instance, that the accounts haven’t been opened under other names or that protections haven’t been bypassed through parents,” he said.

Digital Rights Watch, however, opposed the imposition of a social media age limit, advocating instead for increased regulation of social media companies.

Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea echoed those concerns, saying the “number of accounts deleted is not the measure of the success or failure of the ban”.
“This is measured by its effect on young people’s wellbeing. By that yardstick, the ban continues to fail. Teens are flocking to mental health crisis services as they come to terms with being cut off from their support networks,” she told SBS News.
“The social media ban has not made life better for Australian teens. For many of them, particularly the most vulnerable, it has caused grave harm.”

Digital Rights Watch opposed the introduction of the social media age limit, calling instead for more regulation of social media companies.

The government said the eSafety Commissioner’s office would continue to closely monitor social media platforms to ensure they were complying with their obligations.
According to Thursday’s statement, the eSafety website has recorded more than one million visits since the launch of the social media age limit’s education campaign, which the government said showed that Australians were engaging with the ban and seeking clear, reliable information about the changes.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Herzog protest Melbourne

Mass Protests Erupt in Melbourne as Israeli President Concludes Controversial Australian Visit

Many thousands have swarmed Flinders Street in Melbourne in a mass protest…

US Border Chief Reveals End to Minnesota Immigration Crackdown

President Donald Trump has decided to halt the controversial deportation initiative in…
Donald Day Jr, 60, was charged a year later in the US with making threats to public figures and FBI agents.

US Man Sentenced: Shocking Connection to Wieambilla Police Shooting Unveiled

An American man who spent a year discussing extreme conspiracies with a…

Tenant Faces Rent Hike Despite Residing in Deteriorating and Hazardous Conditions

When Pat, whose name has been changed for privacy, received a notice…
Angus Taylor social media comment

Angus Taylor Faces Renewed Scrutiny Over Resurfaced Social Media Mishap

During the 2019 federal election, the Hume MP and then-energy minister was…
Angus Taylor

Angus Taylor Rises: The New Liberal Leader Ousting Sussan Ley and Shaping Australia’s Political Future

Angus Taylor has emerged victorious as the new Liberal leader after snatching…

Shocking Clash: NSW Police Accused of Aggressive Tactics at Sydney Muslim Protest

Three Muslim men claim they were assaulted by police while praying during…
Sussan Ley MP during a press conference after loosing the Liberal Party leadership to Angus Taylor MP at Parliament House in Canberra on February 13, 2026. fedpol Photo: Dominic Lorrimer

Sussan Ley Announces Exit from Politics Following Leadership Loss

Ley, who was first elected as Farre.r MP in south-western NSW in…
FBI issues new details of suspect in Nancy Guthrie case

FBI Releases Crucial Updates on Suspect in Nancy Guthrie Investigation

The FBI has unveiled new information about the suspect linked to the…

Instagram CEO Stands Firm: Addresses Addiction Allegations in High-Profile Social Media Trial

Content Warning: This article discusses suicide. In a pivotal trial in California,…
Librarian and PhD student Damien Linnane spent a decade trying to fix the prison healthcare system, only to find out he - and everyone else - was going about it the wrong way.

Debunking the Myth: Australia’s Unwritten Prison Rule Exposed

Damien Linnane, who endured 10 months of incarceration, is acutely aware of…
The fines amount to the largest combined penalties ASIC has ever secured against a single entity.

ANZ Reports $1.94 Billion Profit Amid Controversial Sausage Sizzle Fee

ANZ has reported a quarterly profit that exceeded expectations, just days after…