Snapchat has blocked 415,000 accounts under Australia’s social media ban for under-16s, the company has said, but warned that some young users may be bypassing age verification technology.
The action comes after Australia introduced legislation on 10 December requiring platforms including Snapchat, Meta, TikTok, and YouTube to prevent children under 16 from holding accounts. Companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” to comply face fines of up to Aus$49.5 million (€28.6m).
Australia’s eSafety regulator reported last month that tech giants had already blocked 4.7 million accounts, describing the move as producing “significant outcomes” in protecting minors online. Snapchat confirmed that it continues to disable accounts daily in line with the law, but highlighted challenges in fully enforcing the age restriction.
Snapchat said its age estimation technology is accurate to within two to three years, leaving “significant gaps” in protection. The company warned that some users under 16 could still create accounts, while some older teens might be incorrectly locked out.
To strengthen compliance, Snapchat urged Australian authorities to require app stores to verify users’ ages before downloads. “Creating a centralised verification system at the app-store level would allow for more consistent protection and higher barriers to circumventing the law,” the company said in an online statement. Meta has made similar calls.
Snapchat also questioned whether the blanket ban is the right approach. The platform is primarily a messaging app for young people to stay connected with friends and family. “We do not believe that cutting teens off from these relationships makes them safer, happier, or otherwise better off,” the company said. Snapchat emphasized that it understands Australia’s objectives and is committed to online safety, but disagrees that its service should be fully covered by the ban.
The social media restrictions represent a world-first attempt to regulate underage online activity at scale. While Snapchat and other platforms are complying with account blocks, the debate over enforcement and effectiveness is ongoing. Critics argue that minors may find ways to circumvent the restrictions, while supporters contend the law is an important step in protecting children from harmful content and online exploitation.
In practice, the new rules have already forced significant changes. Snapchat, Meta, TikTok, and YouTube have had to adapt internal systems, implement new verification technologies, and monitor user activity more closely. Companies face scrutiny from regulators and the public, making compliance a major priority.
With millions of accounts already affected, the Australian social media ban is reshaping the way technology companies manage young users’ access to digital platforms. Platforms like Snapchat continue to call for technological safeguards beyond account-level enforcement, arguing that stronger, app-store-wide age verification is needed to fully achieve the legislation’s goals.
