Ahead of social media ban, platform begins deleting minor accounts; New Zealand and Denmark considering similar legislation
Meta will block all users under the age of 16 from accessing Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and its other platforms in Australia starting December 10, when the country’s new Social Media Ban for Children and Teenagers Act takes effect.
According to AFP, Bloomberg, and The Guardian Australia, Meta has begun notifying affected users that their accounts will soon be disabled, with all deletions to be completed before the law’s enforcement date. Users will be able to reactivate their accounts once they turn 16.
Government statistics show that Australia currently has approximately 350,000 Instagram users and 150,000 Facebook users under 16.
Meta said it is using multiple technologies to determine users’ ages but declined to reveal specifics to prevent circumvention. The company noted that age verification carries “a significant margin of error,” meaning some users 16 or older may be mistakenly blocked. These users can correct the error by submitting a government-issued ID or a selfie video.
The Australian Parliament passed the legislation last November, banning social media use by those under 16 and imposing fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (about 47.1 billion won) on companies that fail to comply. While Meta confirmed it will follow the law, it expressed concern that “cutting young people off from friends and community” may not be the best approach, suggesting alternatives such as allowing parents to directly control app downloads.
Meta is the first platform to present concrete details on how it will implement the ban. TikTok and Snapchat have also stated they will comply, while YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) oppose the law but have not clarified whether they will follow it.
Australia’s move to become the first country to impose an across-the-board ban on social media use by minors is prompting similar legislative discussions in New Zealand and Denmark.