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For the first time, to protect children online, Snapchat has suspended more than 415,000 accounts belonging to Australian users under 16, following the country’s new Social Media Minimum Age (SMMA) law. The legislation, which came into effect in December 2025, requires social media platforms to prevent minors from holding accounts.
The law affects major platforms including Snapchat, Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, and failure to comply can result in fines of up to AUD 49.5 million (USD 34 million). Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, reported that tech firms have collectively blocked 4.7 million underage accounts since the ban began.
Snapchat said it continues to review accounts daily to identify minors, but admitted that its current age verification system is not foolproof, allowing some young users to bypass the restrictions. “We are committed to improving our technology to better protect underage users,” the company said in a statement.
Australia’s online safety regulator reported that, collectively, tech companies have blocked 4.7 million underage accounts so far. Experts view this as a significant step in enforcing child safety on social media, highlighting the growing responsibility of digital platforms to shield minors from harmful content and online risks.
Snapchat has also called on app stores to implement mandatory age verification processes, emphasizing that stricter controls are essential to keep children safe online.
This move has drawn attention globally, with countries like the UK considering similar legislation. Snapchat maintains that while the aim of protecting young users is important, a blanket ban may not make teenagers “safer or happier,” highlighting the tension between online safety and social connectivity.
