Sydney: Australia's ban on children using social media has resulted in the closure of over 4.7 million user accounts.

According to Thai News Agency, the Australian Federal Electronic Security Commission reported the closure of approximately 4.7 million social media accounts belonging to children under the age of 16. This move comes after the world's first ban on children's use of social media, which is scheduled to come into effect on December 10, 2025.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed approval of social media companies' efforts to comply with the ban, noting that while the change won't be immediate, the initial progress underscores the significance of the initiative. Julie Inman Grant, head of the committee, mentioned that the initial results are promising, but acknowledged that some accounts belonging to underage children remain active, as children might continue to find ways to access social media. She emphasized that the success of this safety law hinges on reducing harm and establishing new cultural norms.

The Australian federal government has not disclosed the number of child accounts each social media platform has shut down under this ban, including platforms such as TikTok, X, and YouTube. Meta reports the closure of over 544,000 accounts across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads as of December 11, 2025.

Social media companies that fail to properly enforce this ban face fines of up to A$49.5 million (approximately 1.04 billion baht) under several pieces of legislation approved by the Australian federal parliament in 2024.