Meta reports that it has deleted 756,000 accounts belonging to Australian teenagers, yet the majority of users under 16 remain active online.

      Meta has shut down 756,000 accounts in Australia that it believes belonged to individuals under 16, a number it released as the country’s pioneering social media ban transitions from a looming threat to active enforcement. The company reports that 462,000 of these accounts were on Instagram and 294,000 on Facebook, all deleted between December 2025 and June 2026.

      This is a significant figure that captures attention, and Meta appears to want it interpreted as evidence of its commitment. However, a high removal count does not necessarily indicate that the policy is effectively preventing teenagers from using the platforms, which is the main goal of the initiative. A company can delete numerous accounts yet still struggle to address the broader issue, particularly when these accounts keep reappearing.

      The ban officially started on December 10, 2025, making Australia the first country to outright prohibit under-16s from using mainstream social media. The regulations apply to Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, as well as TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and other platforms, placing the responsibility for compliance on the platforms rather than on parents.

      On paper, this represents a bold regulatory experiment. However, early indications suggest a less favorable reality, as Australia has already accused Meta, TikTok, and YouTube of non-compliance, with regulators growing frustrated by the industry's progress.

      The difference between the statistics and the actual situation is stark. Independent studies and government data show that over 80% of under-16s were still active on social media during the first three months of the ban, indicating that the removed accounts represent only a small fraction of teenagers online.

      This situation is not surprising to those familiar with how teenagers respond to rules they dislike. Providing a false birthday, using an adult's information, or creating a new account can be done in minutes, making the ban far more effective in theory than in practice.

      Meta claims it is applying substantial technology to address the challenge. The company states that it utilizes AI to scan profiles for contextual hints, such as birthday posts or mentions of school grades, and combines this with photo-based age-estimation tools to guess a user’s age based on their appearance. Meta also relies on behavioral indicators, drawing inferences about age from activity patterns typical of younger users. Additionally, when an account is deleted, Meta asserts it blocks efforts to recreate it, acknowledging that determined teenagers will continue trying.

      However, this form of age estimation is known for being imprecise and often defaults in a way that is least damaging to the platform. A system confident enough to delete over three-quarters of a million accounts also involves numerous subjective decisions regarding people's appearances and behaviors.

      In response, Canberra has opted for more stringent measures. Australia is raising penalties and empowering its regulator, increasing the maximum fine for non-compliance to approximately A$99 million, or about $69.75 million, while granting officials broader authority to request internal documents.

      These powers are significant as they alter the nature of pressure on platforms. It's one thing to inquire how many accounts were removed and quite another to require evidence of what platforms knew and when, which is less manageable for public relations.

      The political discourse has become increasingly sharp, as executives from Meta, YouTube (owned by Google), TikTok, and Snapchat have appeared before parliament, each eager to demonstrate their diligence while pushing back against the notion that enforcing the ban is solely their responsibility. Lawmakers remain skeptical, having grown cautious of receiving reassurances instead of tangible results.

      Additionally, the legislative aspect remains unsettled, as the Senate has postponed the amendments that advocates hoped would strengthen the regulatory framework. As it stands, Australia is left with a groundbreaking law, an impressive account removal figure, and a persistent majority of teenagers who, according to nearly every metric, never truly left the platforms in the first place.