Meta Begins Removal of Australian Children from Social Media Platforms in Compliance with New Laws

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 December 4.

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 December 10, with companies facing fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$33 million, £25 million) 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. While Meta is committed to complying with the law, we believe a more effective, standardised, and privacy-preserving approach is needed," she said. The government should require app stores to verify the age of users when they download apps and ask for parental approval for under-16s, Meta suggested.

Teens who believe they have been wrongly categorized as under 16 can ask for a review and submit a video selfie to verify their age. They can also provide a driver’s license or a government-issued identification.

Alongside Meta's platforms, the other social media sites affected by the ban include YouTube, X, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, and Twitch. The government says the ban aims to protect children from the harms of social media, though critics argue it could isolate certain groups and push youths towards less-regulated corners of the internet.

Communications Minister Anika Wells noted that the law seeks to protect Generation Alpha and future generations, highlighting concerns about children becoming dependent on social media's dopamine-driven rewards.

The government’s approach is being closely monitored globally, with its implications on child safety and social media practices being debated across various fronts.