Australia demands social media giants report progress on account bans for children under 16

Australian authorities on Thursday demanded some of the world's biggest social media platforms report how many accounts they have deactivated since a ban on accounts for children younger than 16 became law.

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Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube and Twitch all said they would abide by Australia's world-first law that took effect on Wednesday, Communications Minister Anika Wells said.

But the tech companies' responses to eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant's first demand for data will likely indicate their commitment to ridding their platforms of young children.

"Today the eSafety Commissioner will write to all 10 platforms who are considered age-restricted social media platforms and she will ask them ... what were your numbers of under 16 accounts on Dec. 9; what are your numbers today on Dec. 11?" Wells said.