Meta has started taking down accounts belonging to Australians under 16 on Instagram, Facebook and Threads, beginning a week before Australia’s new age-restriction law comes into force. The company recently alerted users it believes are between 13 and 15 that their profiles would soon be shut down, and the rollout has now begun.
Current estimates suggest that a large number of accounts will be affected, including roughly hundreds of thousands across Meta’s platforms. Since Threads operates through Instagram credentials, any underage Instagram account will also lose access to Threads.
Australia’s new policy, which becomes fully active on 10 December, prevents anyone under 16 from holding an account on major social media sites. This law is the first of its kind globally. Platforms that fail to take meaningful action can face penalties reaching up to 49.5 million Australian dollars. The responsibility to monitor and enforce this age limit rests with the companies, not parents or children.
A Meta spokesperson explained that following the new rules will require ongoing adjustments, as compliance involves several layers of technology and review. The company has argued that the government should shift age verification to app stores, where users could verify their age once when downloading an app. Meta claims this would reduce the need for children to repeatedly confirm their age across multiple platforms and may better protect privacy.
Before their accounts are removed, underage users
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