SYDNEY (Australia) – In a significant move, social media accounts of Australian children under the age of 16 will be removed from Facebook and Instagram starting December 4th. The parent company of both platforms, Meta, announced this decision on Thursday, November 20th, as the Australian government prepares to enforce new laws designed to protect children from the potential harms of social media.
New Law and Proactive Compliance
A new Australian law, set to take effect on December 10th, will require social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, to remove users under the age of 16. Companies that fail to comply will face hefty fines.
Meta has stated it will begin the removal process proactively before the ban is officially enforced. In a statement, Meta said, “Starting today, Meta will notify Australian users aged 13-15 that they will lose access to Instagram, Threads, and Facebook. From December 4, Meta will begin blocking new under-16 accounts and will start cancelling access for existing accounts. We expect to remove all known under-16 accounts by December 10.”
User Impact and Verification
According to government data, there are approximately 350,000 Instagram users and 150,000 Facebook accounts in Australia belonging to 13-15 year-olds. Accounts that are mistakenly removed can have their age verified using a “video selfie” or by providing a government-issued ID to regain access.
Meta’s Stance and Potential Penalties
Meta reiterated its concerns about the new law on Thursday, stating, “We share the Australian government’s goal of helping young people have safe, age-appropriate experiences online, but shutting down access to their friends and community is not the solution.”
Despite their objections, social media companies found violating the law face penalties of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (approx. ₹283 crore).
International Ripple Effects
Australia’s move is inspiring similar actions elsewhere. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is planning to introduce a comparable law to keep children off social media. Similarly, the Dutch government earlier this year advised parents to prevent children under 15 from using social media apps like TikTok and Snapchat.
