Younger Australian teenagers using Instagram, Facebook and Threads are being warned their accounts will soon be deactivated, ahead of the country’s landmark ban on social media access for people under 16. Meta, which owns the three platforms, has begun sending notifications by text, email and in-app messages to users it believes are between 13 and 15 years old. The company said deactivations would commence from 4 December, ahead of the law’s enforcement date on 10 December.
The ban, described by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as “world-leading”, aims to reduce online pressure on young people and “let kids be kids”. It applies not only to Meta’s platforms but also to TikTok, YouTube, X and Reddit. Australia’s internet regulator estimates there are about 150,000 Facebook users and 350,000 Instagram users aged between 13 and 15 in the country.
From 4 December, children under 16 will no longer be able to create accounts on Meta’s platforms. The company is urging affected users to update their contact details so they can be notified when they are old enough to return. Teenagers are also allowed to download and save their posts, videos and messages before their accounts are fully deactivated.
Meta said teenagers who believe they are old enough to use the platforms may challenge the restriction by completing a facial age scan through a “video selfie”. They may also verify their age by submitting a driver’s licence or government-issued ID. These verification tools were tested earlier this year by the UK-based Age Check Certification Scheme in a review commissioned by the Australian state. The scheme noted that while the methods have merits, no single solution was guaranteed to be effective in all situations.
Social media companies that fail to take reasonable steps to block users under 16 risk fines of up to A$50 million. Meta’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, said the company was working to remove under-age accounts by the deadline, though the compliance process would be “ongoing and multi-layered”. Meta has urged lawmakers to consider a system that requires parental approval before minors download social media apps, warning that “teens are resourceful” and may attempt to bypass age restrictions.
Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said the ban is designed to shield young people from risks and pressures associated with using social media. In a bid to avoid inclusion in the ban, gaming platform Roblox recently introduced new protections preventing children under 16 from chatting with adult strangers. Mandatory age checks for chat features will first roll out in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands in December before expanding globally in January.
The e-Safety Commissioner has released formal guidance on which platforms fall under the ban. Those affected include Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube. Platforms not covered include Discord, GitHub, Google Classroom, LEGO Play, Messenger, Roblox, Steam, WhatsApp and YouTube Kids.
Australia’s move marks one of the strictest approaches to online child safety worldwide, signalling a significant shift in how governments may regulate young people’s access to social media in the years ahead.
Melissa Enoch
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