Australia’s pioneering effort to protect minors online has reached a critical flashpoint. On Tuesday, April 14, 2026, the country’s online safety watchdog announced it is considering legal action against five global social media giants, alleging they have failed to take “reasonable steps” to keep children under 16 off their platforms.
The move follows the implementation of world-leading legislation on December 10, 2025, which effectively banned young children from holding accounts on major social networks.
The Compliance Report: 5 Million Accounts Axed, But Millions Remain
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant released her first compliance report since the ban took effect, revealing a mixed bag of results. While the audit shows that 5 million Australian accounts have been deactivated across various services, the report highlights a “substantial number” of children still successfully bypassing age-verification systems.
The five platforms currently in the crosshairs are:
Meta (Facebook & Instagram)
TikTok
Snapchat
YouTube
Conversely, platforms such as Reddit, X, Kick, Threads, and Twitch are not currently under investigation for systemic failures.
“Deliberate Non-Compliance”: Government Slams Platforms
Communications Minister Anika Wells did not mince words, accusing tech companies of intentionally sabotaging the new laws to prevent other nations from following Australia’s lead.
“Social media platforms are choosing to do the absolute bare minimum because they want these laws to fail,” Wells told reporters. “They don’t want these laws to work because they want that to be a chilling effect on the dozen countries that have come out since Dec 10 to follow Australia’s step.”
Poor Practices Identified
The eSafety office identified several “poor practices” that allow minors to remain active, including:
Unlimited Attempts: Allowing users an infinite number of tries to pass age-assurance tests.
Underage Prompting: Systems that prompt users to re-try the age-assurance method even after the user has explicitly declared they are underage.
The Industry Response: “A Challenge for the Whole Industry”
Tech companies maintain that while they are committed to safety, the technology is not yet perfect.
Meta: Stated it is committed to compliance but noted that “accurately determining age online is a challenge for the whole industry.”
Snapchat: Claimed it has already locked 450,000 accounts and remains committed to “reasonable steps” under the law.
The Legal Crux: What is “Reasonable”?
Legal experts, including Lisa Given of RMIT University, suggest the battle will eventually be fought over the definition of “reasonable steps.” If a platform implements flawed but existing technology, the courts must decide if they are legally liable for the technology’s inherent failures.
Meanwhile, the law faces constitutional challenges in the High Court from Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project, both arguing the ban infringes on the implied freedom of political communication. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2026.
Potential Penalties: If found in violation, platforms could face staggering fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($33 million) for systemic failures.