Meta restricts hundreds of thousands of Australian teens under new law

More than half a million Australian children have lost access to their Facebook and Instagram accounts after Meta took action to follow the country’s new law banning social media use for anyone under 16.

The company reported taking down accounts belonging to 330,000 users on Instagram, 173,000 on Facebook, and 39,000 on Threads during the week of December 4 through December 11. Meta started removing young users a week before the ban officially started on December 10.

Company questions effectiveness of new law

The Australian government, led by Prime Minister Albanese, plans to share official numbers this week showing how many young people were removed from different platforms covered by the new rules.

In a statement released overnight, Meta said the ban is not achieving what the Australian government hoped it would. The company argues the law is not making young people safer or improving their wellbeing as intended.

Meta raised concerns that vulnerable teenagers are now cut off from helpful online communities where they found support. The company also warned that these young users might move to apps with fewer safety rules and less oversight.

The tech giant also took issue with what it called “inconsistent” ways of checking how old users are. Meta questioned the basic idea behind the law itself.

“The premise of the law, which prevents under-16-year-olds from holding a social media account so they aren’t exposed to an ‘algorithmic experience’, is false,” Meta wrote in an online post.

The company explained that platforms allowing teens to browse without logging in still use algorithms to show content that might interest them. These algorithms just work in a less personalized manner that can be adjusted based on age.

Meta said it will keep following Australian law but wants government officials to work with tech companies to find a different solution.

“We call on the Australian government to engage with industry constructively to find a better way forward, such as incentivising all of industry to raise the standard in providing safe, privacy-preserving, age-appropriate experiences online, instead of blanket bans,” the company stated.

Platforms face millions in penalties

The Australian government approved the minimum age requirement in 2024, aiming to shield young people from targeted algorithms and damaging content on social platforms.

Companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” to keep users under 16 off their sites face penalties reaching $50 million.

The ban applies to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, Threads and Kick.

The eSafety Commission, which makes sure companies follow the age limit, has said it could add other social platforms to the list if they meet the ban requirements.

Sites mainly used for gaming, health services, or education are exempt from the rules.

Companies can check users’ ages through several methods, including government identification cards, technology that estimates age from facial features, or making educated guesses about age based on other information.

A government representative defended the new law, saying “the Albanese Government is holding social media companies accountable for the harm they cause to young Australians.”

The spokesperson added that platforms like Meta gather extensive information about users to make money, and they should use that same data to ensure compliance with Australian law and keep people under 16 off their sites.

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