Overview
- Ten platforms — Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Snapchat, Reddit, Threads, Twitch and Kick — must remove or block under‑16 accounts or face fines of up to A$49.5 million.
- Messaging apps, many games, email services and some educational tools are exempt for now, and the list of covered services may change.
- Hundreds of thousands of accounts were locked or removed at launch, with Instagram counting about 350,000 Australian users aged 13–15 and officials reporting more than 200,000 TikTok deactivations.
- Platforms are using age‑inference AI, selfie‑based age estimation or optional government ID checks, and only users suspected of being under 16 are asked to verify.
- Alternative apps and VPN use are rising as teens seek workarounds, major tech firms and rights groups warn of privacy and safety trade‑offs, and legal challenges have been flagged as other countries watch the rollout.