Meta has started deactivating accounts of Australian children under 16 across its Instagram, Facebook, and Threads platforms, a week ahead of the country’s landmark teen social media ban.
The tech giant began notifying users aged 13 to 15 last month that their accounts would be shut down starting December 4. Approximately 150,000 Facebook accounts and 350,000 Instagram profiles are expected to be affected. Threads, Meta’s text-based platform linked to Instagram, is also included.
Australia’s world-first social media legislation comes into effect on December 10. Companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-16s from accessing their platforms could face fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$33 million).
A Meta spokesperson told the BBC that compliance will be “an ongoing and multi-layered process.” She added that while Meta is committed to following the law, it believes a standardized, privacy-conscious approach such as app store age verification and parental approval would be more effective.
Users identified as under 16 are being given the chance to download and save their content before deactivation. Teens who feel they were incorrectly classified can request a review, submitting a “video selfie” or government-issued ID to verify their age.
Other social media platforms affected by the ban include YouTube, X, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, and Twitch. While the ban aims to protect children from online harms, critics warn it may isolate young users who rely on social media for connection and push them toward less-regulated apps.
Communications Minister Anika Wells acknowledged potential early challenges but emphasized the law’s focus on safeguarding Generation Alpha. “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 behavioural cocaine,” she said, describing children’s social media use as a constant “dopamine drip.”
Wells also noted that authorities are monitoring smaller apps, including Lemon8 and Yope, to ensure children are not migrating to alternative platforms. Yope’s CEO Bahram Ismailau clarified that the app functions as a private messenger, not a public social platform, while Lemon8 plans to restrict under-16 users voluntarily.
YouTube has criticized the law as “rushed,” arguing that banning accounts even with parental controls could make its platform less safe.
Australia’s initiative, the first of its kind globally, follows research showing that 96% of Australian children aged 10-15 use social media, with a majority exposed to harmful content, cyberbullying, and grooming-type behavior.
