Australian content creators feel sting of social media curbs

Australian content creators are reporting drops in followers and views a day after the country imposed a sweeping teen social media ban, posing risks for incomes and forcing rethinks of content strategies.

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Josh Partington, 29, typically gets 100,000 views on his TikTok, where he makes comedy skits about everyday life in Australia. But his first video since the ban started on Wednesday has barely reached one-tenth of that.

“Both my TikTok and Instagram videos from yesterday underperformed pretty noticeably,” he said. “They both landed under 10,000 views which is very unusual for me.”

Australia has ordered 10 of the biggest platforms including TikTok, Meta’s Instagram and Alphabet’s YouTube to bar around one million users under 16 or face hefty fines.

As many teenagers grapple with a new reality without social media, content creators who spent years cultivating their followings are also feeling the effects of losing their most active audience members.

Follower counts primarily on Instagram have dropped, creators told Reuters, while engagement patterns — likes, comments and views — have also changed.

If the trend continues, that could spell trouble in an industry where metrics are a chief determinant of revenue from brand deals and advertisers.

Others have also created accounts on alternative platforms that are not yet covered by the ban, or set up mailing lists to keep in touch with their young followers.

Mr. Partington, who has a combined 100,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram, said the ban wiped about 1,500 Instagram followers. If TikTok went the same way, “it is definitely a bit scary,” he said.

“A lot of my audience under 16 is incredibly engaged and they’re a big part of why my videos land the way they do.”

He said losing followers could impact the work he does with brands and his income, but he was not panicking yet. “While it’s not ideal, I’m confident I can adjust and still keep building my platforms.”