Australia May Sue Social Media Over Under-16 Ban

Australia’s online safety watchdog has warned it could launch legal action against major social media companies for failing to prevent children under 16 from accessing their platforms, under a new law that came into force in December.

The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said authorities have “significant concerns” about the compliance levels of several platforms and are gathering evidence for possible court proceedings.

Major Platforms Under Investigation

The regulator is reviewing the actions of global tech companies including Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, as well as Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube, owned by Alphabet Inc..

Officials say these platforms may not have taken “reasonable steps” required under the law to stop underage users from creating or maintaining accounts.

Millions Removed, Yet Children Still Access Platforms

According to the first compliance report:

• Around 5 million Australian accounts linked to under-16 users have been removed

• Many children continue to:

  • Retain active accounts

  • Create new accounts

  • Bypass age verification systems

The watchdog flagged “poor practices,” including allowing unlimited attempts at age verification and prompting users to retry even after declaring themselves underage.

Government Criticises Tech Companies

Australia’s Communications Minister, Anika Wells, accused social media firms of doing the “bare minimum” to comply with the law.

She described the legislation as “world-leading” and suggested companies may be resisting strict enforcement to discourage similar regulations globally.

Heavy Fines Possible

Platforms found to be in breach could face fines of up to AUD 49.5 million (about $33 million) for systemic failures.

The eSafety office is expected to decide by midyear whether to proceed with legal action against the companies under investigation.

Companies Respond

Meta said it is working to comply but acknowledged that accurately verifying users’ ages remains a challenge across the industry.

Snapchat said it has already locked around 450,000 accounts and continues enforcement efforts.

TikTok declined to comment, while Alphabet has not yet issued a response.

Legal Challenges Already Underway

Separately, Reddit has challenged the law in Australia’s High Court, arguing it violates freedom of political communication. A similar case has been filed by the Digital Freedom Project.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 21.

Experts say the central issue will be whether platforms have taken “reasonable steps” to enforce age restrictions, even if current technology cannot guarantee complete accuracy.

The outcome could shape how countries worldwide regulate children’s access to social media.