Overview
- The nationwide restriction took effect Wednesday, barring under-16s from ten major platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the law cannot be ignored, predicted a bumpy rollout, and argued it will save lives.
- Regulator eSafety ordered the platforms to report under-16 account counts before and after the ban within two weeks, with monthly updates for six months and penalties up to A$49.5 million.
- The government reported about 200,000 TikTok accounts deactivated since the start, and Australian creators saw sharp drops in views and followers.
- Early signs point to circumvention and displacement, with VPN searches hitting decade highs and downloads rising for services outside the ban, as UNICEF and experts urge stronger platform design, moderation and media education.