Snapchat blocks 415,000 teen accounts in Australia – Social Samosa

The action follows Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age law, while warning that some minors may still be bypassing age verification systems. Snapchat has blocked or disabled about 415,000 accounts in Australia held by users under 16 since the country’s social media age restrictions took effect, while warning that some minors may still be bypassing age verification systems. The action follows Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age law, which came into force on December 10 and requires platforms including Snapchat, Meta, TikTok and YouTube to prevent users under 16 from holding accounts. Platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to comply face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($34 million). Australia’s eSafety regulator said last month that technology companies had blocked 4.7 million accounts in total, calling the results “significant outcomes.” The platform said in a statement, “Two months into the implementation of Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age (SMMA) law, Snapchat remains fully committed to complying with the legislation and supporting its underlying goal of improving online safety for young Australians.” However, the platform had identified limitations in how the law is currently being enforced. It cited technical challenges with age verification, noting that a 2025 government trial found age
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