More than 4.7 million social media accounts held by Australians that online platforms deemed under 16 were deactivated, removed, or restricted in the first days after the ban came into effect in December, the prime minister has said. After the social media ban came into effect on December 10, the eSafety commissioner sent questions to each of the platforms covered by the ban, asking how many accounts had been removed in order to comply with the law.

Source: Irish Examiner January 15, 2026 20:07 UTC