Snapchat blocks more than 400,000 Australian accounts but warns of ‘significant gaps’ in under-16s social media ban

Snapchat has locked or disabled more than 415,000 users since Australia’s under-16s social media ban took effect in December. Photograph: Hollie Adams/Reuters

The accounts of more than 415,000 users in Australia identified as being under 16 were locked or disabled by Snapchat as part of its compliance with the under-16s social media ban.

The company announced in a blog post on Monday that, as of the end of January, it had disabled or locked more than 415,000 Snapchat accounts in Australia belonging to users who either declared an age under 16 or the platform believes to be under 16 based on age detection technology.