Meta has begun deleting accounts belonging to users under 16 on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook as Australia prepares to enforce a new social media age restriction.
Under the law, major platforms — including TikTok and YouTube — must block underage users by December 10 or risk significant penalties.
A Meta spokesperson said the company is working to identify and remove all affected accounts ahead of the deadline, noting that compliance will require “ongoing, multi-layered” efforts. Impacted users can download their data, and will regain access with their content restored once they turn 16.
The restriction is expected to hit hundreds of thousands of young users, with Instagram alone reporting roughly 350,000 Australian users aged 13 to 15. Some services, such as Roblox, Pinterest, and WhatsApp, are currently exempt, though this may change.
While Meta says it supports the new rules, it urged the government to require app stores to verify users’ ages and secure parental consent for under-16 downloads, arguing this would reduce repeated age checks across different platforms.
YouTube has also pushed back, warning the ban could make young users “less safe,” as those under 16 could still browse without accounts but would lose access to protective filters. Australia’s communications minister dismissed this argument, saying platforms must tackle harmful content themselves.
Citing cases where teens died after being exposed to damaging online material, the minister stressed that the law is meant to create a safer digital environment, even if it cannot solve every issue.
An internet rights group has already filed a legal challenge, claiming the law imposes an unreasonable limit on free speech. Authorities acknowledge many teens will likely try to circumvent the rules using fake IDs or AI-edited images, though no system will be completely foolproof.
Other nations are monitoring Australia’s approach, with Malaysia set to introduce a similar rule next year and New Zealand drafting its own under-16 ban.
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