As Australia prepares to implement the world’s first social media ban for users under 16, Meta is already taking action—removing its youngest users from Facebook, Instagram, and Threads ahead of the new law.
The company announced on Wednesday that it will start to kick existing under-16 users off its platforms from Dec. 4, notifying them through a mix of email, SMS, and in-app messages. It will also ban under-16s from creating new accounts. The ban does not cover Meta’s Messenger app.
Facebook has more than 150,000 monthly active Australian end-users aged 13-15, while Instagram has more than 350,000, according to a report from the country’s independent online safety regulator.
Meta acknowledges that the ban’s implementation won’t be smooth. “While we are working hard to remove all users who we understand to be under the age of 16 by Dec. 10, compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process,” the company’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, said.
The company’s actions come as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government prepares to enforce sweeping, age-based restrictions across multiple social media platforms. Starting next month, Australians under 16 will also be banned from using TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, Reddit, and the livestreaming site Kick. Companies that fail to comply face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (about $32 million).
