Tech giant Meta announced on Thursday that it will begin removing Australian users younger than 16 from its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, starting on December 4. This decisive action is in response to new, sweeping Australian laws that mandate social media platforms must remove users under the age of 16 by December 10 or face significant penalties.
Meta is already notifying its estimated 350,000 Instagram users and 150,000 Facebook accounts aged 13-15 in Australia that their access will soon be revoked. The company stated it expects to remove all known under-16 accounts by the December 10 deadline and will also begin blocking new accounts created by minors. Impacted teenagers are being assured they will be able to access their accounts "exactly as you left it" once they turn 16.
For accounts flagged incorrectly, Meta has provided an age verification process using a "video selfie" or government-issued ID. Despite complying with the law, Meta reiterated its concerns, stating, "cutting teens off from their friends and communities isn't the answer."
This ban is considered one of the strictest globally, with non-compliance incurring fines up to Aus$49.5 million (US$32 million). The move is garnering international attention, with New Zealand planning a similar bill and the Dutch government advising against social media use for children under 15. However, experts express concern that the law's effectiveness may be limited due to the inherent difficulty in online age verification and policing.
