Social Media Firms Urge Caution on Early Australia Under-16 Ban Data as Senate Inquiry Intensifies

Top social media platforms have urged the Australian government not to over-rely on early data showing most children still use their products, as a Senate inquiry examines plans to double fines and expand regulator powers.

Top social media platforms have urged the Australian government not to place too much weight on early evidence showing most children still use their products despite the landmark under-16 social media ban. Local heads of YouTube, Meta, Snapchat and TikTok fronted a Senate inquiry where lawmakers pressed them on multiple studies, including from Australia's internet regulator, showing some 80 per cent of minors were still on social media months after the ban took effect in December.

"It is a point in time, it's very early on, and we caution against over-reliance on that," YouTube's head of government relations Rachel Lord told the inquiry, noting the government's latest published compliance data was from March.

"The technologies that we are using to detect users at the 16 age boundary are evolving," Lord added, explaining that age assurance technology had largely been built around a cut-off of 18.

Meta's Australia head of public policy Mia Garlick said the data on which the research was based may not reflect whether underage users had an account, even if they claimed to use a platform. "Sometimes survey data is challenging in terms of stated versus revealed," she told the inquiry.

Platforms Share Compliance Numbers

Meta released figures showing it had deactivated 756,000 Instagram and Facebook accounts suspected of belonging to underage users, up from about 500,000 in March. YouTube's Lord said Google has stopped about 740,000 holders of Google accounts from using their accounts to access YouTube. TikTok's Australian head of public policy Jessica Loftstedt said the company had taken down 550,000 accounts when the law took effect and had since been removing about 24,000 a month.

Government's Tougher Stance

The inquiry is examining amendments that would double maximum penalties to A$99 million ($64 million) and expand the eSafety Commissioner's powers to compel information and documents from platforms and their third-party age assurance providers during investigations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said big tech companies were not "doing enough to comply with the law."

"These changes reflect the seriousness with which we take any failure by social media companies to comply with our world-leading law," Albanese said.

According to the government, more than five million under-16 accounts have been removed, deactivated, or restricted since the ban began. However, the eSafety Commissioner is considering legal action against some platforms, accusing them of deliberately slow-walking compliance.

Here is the question this inquiry raises. Social media firms are urging caution on early data showing most children still use their platforms despite the under-16 ban. When the evidence suggests the ban is not working as intended, what will it take for tech companies to genuinely comply with the law?

As the Senate inquiry continues, The Silicon Review asks a final question. When the government doubles down on penalties and powers, will it finally force big tech to take Australia's world-first social media ban seriously?

FAQ:

Q: What did social media firms tell the Australian Senate inquiry?
A: Social media firms urged caution on early data showing children still use their platforms, arguing the data is from a "point in time" and age assurance technologies are still evolving .

Q: How many underage accounts have been removed under Australia's social media ban?
A: The government reports more than five million under-16 accounts have been removed, deactivated, or restricted since the ban took effect in December 2025.

Q: What penalties are being considered for social media firms that fail to comply?
A: The government is proposing to double maximum penalties to A$99 million ($64 million) and expand the eSafety Commissioner's powers to compel information from platforms.

Q: Which social media platforms are currently under investigation?
A: The eSafety Commissioner is investigating five platforms for potential non-compliance: Meta's Instagram and Facebook, Google's YouTube, Snap's Snapchat, and TikTok.

Q: What are the new powers being proposed for the eSafety Commissioner?
A: The amendments would allow the eSafety Commissioner to compel social media companies and their third-party age assurance providers to provide evidence of their compliance efforts during investigations.