Meta disables 550,000 Australian accounts following social media ban

Meta has disabled approximately 550,000 accounts in Australia to meet the requirements of the nation’s new social media age limit. The company reported closing 330,000 Instagram accounts, 173,000 Facebook accounts, and 40,000 Threads accounts identified as belonging to users under 16.

The legislation, effective December 10, requires platforms including TikTok and Instagram to prevent access for minors or face penalties reaching A$49.5 million. Australia is the first democracy to implement such a mandate following concerns regarding digital safety.

Meta maintains opposition to the law, citing a rise in downloads for alternative platforms as users seek to bypass the restriction. The company advocates for a universal age-verification standard across all hardware and software providers to prevent users from migrating to unmonitored services.

Last year, major social media platforms, including Meta, TikTok owner ByteDance, and Snap, had confirmed they will comply with an upcoming Australian law that bans users under the age of 16. This pivot by the industry follows growing global concern over youth mental health and marks a significant shift in corporate policy. The companies have announced they will begin the process of deactivating underage accounts as the legislation officially takes effect on December 10.

Despite their commitment to comply, executives from the firms reiterated their fundamental belief that the ban will ultimately fail to protect young people, arguing that it could push them onto less regulated corners of the internet. They also previously cited unnecessary complexity in implementation, and both Snap and Google-owned (GOOGL.O) YouTube initially contended they should not be classified as social media companies.

The Australian law requires platforms to take "reasonable steps" to block users under 16 or face substantial fines up to A$49.5 million (approximately $32.5 million).

"We don't agree, but we accept and we will abide by the law," declared Jennifer Stout, Snap's senior vice president of global policy and platform operations, during a parliamentary appearance. Ella Woods-Joyce, TikTok's public policy lead for Australia, echoed this sentiment, confirming the platform is "on track to meet our compliance."

To meet the new obligations, the companies are initiating contact with the more than a million affected underage users in the country. Mia Garlick, Meta's policy director for Australia and New Zealand, stated the company would reach out to approximately 450,000 under-16 account holders across Instagram and Facebook. These users will be given a choice: either delete their photos and data or have it stored until they turn 16.

The platforms also detailed their plans to use technology to enforce the age restriction. All three companies indicated they will utilize automated behavior-tracking software to identify users who may be lying about their age. "Where we identify someone that is saying they're 25 but the behaviors would indicate that they're below the age of 16, from December 10th we will have those accounts deactivated," Woods-Joyce explained. For individuals incorrectly blocked, Meta and TikTok will direct them to a third-party age-estimation tool, while Snap continues to develop its solution.