Snapchat has blocked around 415,000 accounts in Australia under the country’s new social media ban for users under 16, the company said on Monday. However, it warned that some young people may still be bypassing existing age-verification technology. The platform urged Australian authorities to require app stores to verify users’ ages as an added layer of protection in what is being described as a world-first regulatory crackdown.
Under the legislation, which came into effect on December 10, major platforms including Snapchat, Meta, TikTok, and YouTube must prevent under-16s from holding accounts. Companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” to comply face fines of up to AU$49.5 million (US$34 million).
Australia’s online safety regulator reported last month that tech companies had already blocked 4.7 million accounts, calling the results “significant outcomes.” As of the end of January, Snapchat said it alone had blocked or disabled 415,000 Australian accounts belonging to users under 16 and added that it continues to lock more accounts every day.
Despite these efforts, Snapchat argued that the law contains “significant gaps,” noting that age-estimation technology is typically only accurate within two to three years. In practical terms, this could allow some children under 16 to slip through protections, while older teens may be wrongly excluded.
Snapchat joined Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta in calling for Australia to require app stores to verify users’ ages before allowing downloads. According to Snapchat, a centralized verification system at the app-store level would provide more consistent protection and make it harder to circumvent the rules.
While the company said it supports Australia’s goal of protecting young people online, it does not believe an outright ban is the right approach. Snapchat emphasized that its platform is primarily a messaging service used by young people to stay connected with close friends and family, arguing that cutting teens off from these relationships does not necessarily make them safer, happier, or better off.
