Millions of children and teens lose access to accounts as Australia’s world-first social media ban begins

Australia’s under-16s have lost their access to digital platforms as the world-leading social media ban start date arrives. Illustration: Victoria Hart/Guardian design/Getty Images

Australia has enacted a world-first ban on social media for users aged under 16, causing millions of children and teenagers to lose access to their accounts.

Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, Twitch and TikTok are expected to have taken steps from Wednesday to remove accounts held by users under 16 years of age in Australia, and prevent those teens from registering new accounts.