TL;DR
One week before Australia’s new teen social media ban takes effect, Meta has begun deleting accounts belonging to users under 16 across Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. The move is part of a sweeping new law that requires tech platforms to block minors or face fines of up to AUD 50 million (USD 33 million). About 500,000 Meta accounts are expected to be impacted.
What’s happening, and why now?
Meta has started removing Australian users aged 13 to 15 from its social platforms—Instagram, Facebook, and Threads—days before the country’s nationwide under-16 social media ban begins on December 10.
In November, the company notified affected users that their accounts would be shut down starting December 4. That shutdown has now begun.
The scale is large:
- 150,000 Facebook accounts
- 350,000 Instagram accounts
- Threads access will also be lost, since it requires an Instagram login.
The new law requires platforms to take “reasonable steps” to stop children under 16 from maintaining accounts. Failure to do so could result in fines of up to AUD 50 million (USD 33 million).
A Meta spokesperson told the BBC the company would comply but pushed for a more unified approach, saying:
“We believe a more effective, standardized, and privacy-preserving approach is needed.”
How the ban works and what changes for teens
Australia’s teen social media ban is one of the most aggressive online safety measures in the world. It forces tech companies to:
- Block under-16s from creating accounts
- Remove existing under-16 accounts
- Verify age during sign-up
- Obtain parental approval for minors who qualify
The government has recommended that app stores, not just social networks, participate in age verification.
Age review process: Yes, it includes a video selfie
Teens who believe they are incorrectly flagged as underage can ask for an account review. To verify their age, they must submit a video selfie, which is processed by an age-estimation tool.
The system does not identify users but determines whether they appear older than 16.
Why does the government say this is necessary
Australia’s Communications Minister, Anika Wells, has been one of the strongest advocates for the ban. She argues that social platforms use algorithms that target children in harmful ways.
In remarks this week, she said:
“With one law, we can protect Generation Alpha from being sucked into purgatory by the predatory algorithms described by the man who created the feature as behavioral cocaine.”
Wells and other officials cite rising concerns around mental health harms, addictive design patterns, and exposure to adult content as key motivators.
How Meta is responding
Meta has consistently argued that the law’s requirements are too broad and risk compromising user privacy, particularly through mandated age-verification systems. However, the company says it is complying in full to avoid penalties.
Key points from Meta’s position:
- It wants a uniform age-verification standard, ideally enforced at the device or app-store level.
- It believes platform-by-platform enforcement increases privacy risks.
- It warns that the law could push teens toward less regulated platforms.
Meta has made similar arguments in other countries, considering age-based restrictions.
What happens next?
The law will officially take effect on December 10, after which:
- Social networks operating in Australia must block all under-16 users.
- Companies will face regulatory audits.
- Non-compliance could lead to substantial financial penalties.
Legal challenges are possible, but for now, major platforms appear to be preparing for full enforcement.
Australia’s approach is being closely watched internationally. If it succeeds—or at least avoids major backlash—other countries may consider similar bans.
