sydney: Meta has started taking down accounts belonging to users under 16 in Australia from Instagram, Facebook and Threads as the country prepares to enforce a strict new social media age-restriction law.
Australia now requires major platforms including TikTok and YouTube to block underage users by December 10, with heavy fines awaiting companies that fail to take reasonable steps to comply.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed that the company is already deleting identified under-16 accounts and will continue to do so using multi-layered verification systems. Affected users can download their data and will have their accounts restored once they turn 16.
The law is expected to remove hundreds of thousands of teens, with Instagram alone estimating about 350,000 users aged 13–15 in Australia. Some platforms such as WhatsApp, Pinterest and Roblox are currently exempt.
Meta says it supports the law but urged the government to shift age-verification duties to app stores, arguing that teens should not have to verify themselves repeatedly across different platforms.
YouTube also criticized the ban, claiming it could make young people “less safe” since they may still access content without accounts but lose safety protections.
Australia’s communications minister dismissed the complaint as weird, insisting platforms must tackle harmful content.
The minister also noted that harmful online posts have contributed to mental-health tragedies among teens, stressing that the new law aims to create a safer digital environment, even if it cannot eliminate every risk.
An internet rights group has filed a legal challenge against the policy, calling it a violation of free speech.
Authorities admit that many teens may try to bypass the rules with fake IDs or AI-edited photos, but say enforcement will still make a significant difference.
Other nations are watching closely: Malaysia plans a similar ban next year, while New Zealand is also considering restrictions
