Overview
- The eSafety Commissioner said the ban, in effect since December 10, prompted rapid removals but some underage accounts remain active.
- Platforms face fines up to A$49.5 million if they fail to take reasonable steps, with responsibility placed on companies rather than families.
- Meta reported taking down roughly 550,000 accounts across Instagram, Facebook and Threads and urged age checks at app stores.
- Reddit said it is complying but is suing to overturn the ban, while officials monitor circumvention and short‑lived shifts to alternative apps.
- Authorities are reviewing platform‑level data and planning multi‑year studies on wellbeing impacts, with new rules for AI companions signaled for March.