Snapchat blocks 415,000 underage accounts in Australia

Snapchat has blocked 415,000 accounts under Australia’s social media ban for under-16s, the company said Monday, but warned some youngsters may be bypassing age verification technology.

The platform urged the Australian authorities to oblige app stores to check users’ ages as an “additional safeguard” for the world-first crackdown.

Platforms including Snapchat, Meta, TikTok and YouTube must stop underage users from holding accounts under the legislation, which came into effect on December 10.