Meta has announced that users under the age of 16 in Australia will no longer be able to use Instagram, Facebook, or Threads starting December 10. The action comes as part of the company’s effort to follow a new law aimed at restricting teenagers’ access to social media.
The tech giant said it has started informing users it believes are aged between 13 and 15 that their accounts will be shut down. Notifications are being delivered via emails, text messages, and in-app alerts.
From December 4, these accounts will begin to be deactivated, and new sign-ups from anyone under 16 will be blocked. Meta expects the process to be fully completed by December 10, earlier than previously indicated to lawmakers.
To ensure compliance, Meta will use several methods to confirm users’ ages. The company emphasized a “data minimisation approach,” meaning it will only request extra information if it suspects that a user’s age may not be correct.
“While we are working hard to remove all users who we understand to be under the age of 16 by 10 December, compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process,” said Antigone Davis, vice president and global head of safety.
Australia’s internet regulator estimates there are roughly 150,000 Facebook accounts and 350,000 Instagram accounts held by users aged 13 to 15. No official data is available for Threads. Meta has said that affected teenagers will be able to update their contact information to receive alerts when they reach 16, download a copy of their account data, or delete their accounts entirely.
The law represents one of the most wide-reaching attempts by any government to limit minors’ access to social media. It places responsibility on platforms to take “reasonable steps” to prevent underage users from creating accounts. Platforms that fail to follow the rules face fines of up to A$49.5 million (around $32 million).
Regulators and social media companies worldwide are closely watching Australia’s approach, which could set a model for handling minors’ access to online platforms. The changes highlight the increasing pressure on tech companies to actively manage underage users while balancing privacy concerns and legal obligations.
