Story perspectives

Australia’s under-16 social media ban closes 5 million accounts

By Drooid · Sep 19, 2026, 12:50 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is championing a ban on social media accounts for users under 16.
The ban has already forced closure of as many as 5 million Australian accounts.
Under “my feed, my way” reforms, users over 16 will receive tools to disable algorithmic content.
Platforms that breach the new rules face fines of more than A$100 million.
A Dutch court ordered Meta to provide an easy option to block algorithmic recommendations.

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Story summary

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is championing a ban on social media accounts for users under 16.
The ban has already forced closure of as many as 5 million Australian accounts.
Under “my feed, my way” reforms, users over 16 will receive tools to disable algorithmic content.
Platforms that breach the new rules face fines of more than A$100 million.
A Dutch court ordered Meta to provide an easy option to block algorithmic recommendations.