Key Points
- Action follows implementation of Australia’s new age‑restriction law for social media platforms.
- Companies face heavy penalties for failing to prevent underage access.
ISLAMABAD: Snapchat has disabled or restricted 415,000 accounts in Australia that were identified as belonging to users below the age of 16, the company said, marking one of the first large‑scale enforcement actions under the country’s new social media age‑restriction regime.
Australia’s legislation, which came into force in December 2025, requires major digital platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent children under 16 from creating or maintaining social media accounts.
Platforms that fail to comply can face fines of up to A$49.5 million, equivalent to about US$34 million.
Snapchat said the blocked accounts were identified using a combination of signals, including user reports, automated detection systems and account behaviour.
The company added that it continues to remove underage accounts daily as part of its compliance efforts.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has stated that millions of accounts across multiple platforms have been restricted since the law took effect, describing the early results as a significant step toward enforcing online safety standards for minors.
At the same time, Snapchat has cautioned that current age‑verification technology has limitations and may not always be accurate, warning that some underage users may still bypass safeguards, while some legitimate users could be affected in error.
The company has urged regulators to consider stronger age-verification measures at the app‑store or operating‑system level, arguing that such an approach would provide a more consistent and effective barrier against underage access.
Australia’s move is being closely watched by governments globally, as policymakers in Europe, Asia and North America debate tougher regulation of social media platforms amid growing concerns about the impact of online services on children and adolescents.
