Australia's BoldMove: Meta Begins Removing Under-16 Users from Social Media

Fri Dec 05 2025 05:22:26 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Meta initiates a mass removal of Australian children under 16 from its platforms, ahead of a controversial social media ban intended to protect youth.

In a significant move to enforce a new Australian social media law, Meta has begun removing accounts of users under 16 from its platforms including Instagram and Facebook. This action comes ahead of the government's full ban on under-16 accounts, aimed at safeguarding children from online harm. Critics raise concerns about the isolation of youth and potential migration to less-regulated sites. The Australian government is closely monitoring the situation as it seeks to protect future generations from harmful content.

Meta has started booting Australian children under 16 years off its Instagram, Facebook and Threads platforms, a week before an official teen social media ban begins.

The tech giant announced last month that it had begun notifying users aged between 13 to 15 years old that their accounts would start being shut down from 4 December.

An estimated 150,000 Facebook users and 350,000 Instagram accounts are expected to be affected. Threads, similar to X, can only be accessed via an Instagram account.

Australia's world-first social media ban starts on 10 December, with companies facing fines of up to A$49.5m (US$33m, £25m) if they fail to take reasonable steps to stop under-16s from having accounts.

A spokesperson for Meta told the BBC on Thursday that compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process.

Meta believes a more effective, standardised, and privacy-preserving approach is necessary. They propose that app stores verify the age of users when downloading apps, ensuring parental approval for users under 16 to streamline the age verification process.

Teens identified as under 16 will be permitted to download and save their posts, videos, and messages before their accounts are deactivated. Those who feel misclassified can request a review, submitting a video selfie or providing identification.

Alongside Meta's platforms, YouTube, X, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick and Twitch will also be affected by the ban. Critics argue that the ban could push children towards less monitored areas of the internet.

Communications Minister Anika Wells stated that while initial challenges are expected, the overarching goal is to protect Generation Alpha and future generations from predatory online practices.

The government, responding to concerns about online safety, conducted a study revealing that the vast majority of Australian children had been exposed to harmful content online. They aim to minimize the access of children to such harmful experiences, thus pioneering legislation that may inspire similar actions globally.