Meta removes over half a million young users’ accounts to comply with Australia’s new under-16 social media law

Meta has blocked approximately 550,000 accounts in Australia following the implementation of a new national law that bans children under 16 from using major social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. This measure, which began in December, aims to protect young users from harmful online content and addictive algorithms. The company disclosed that 330,639 Instagram accounts, 173,497 Facebook accounts, and 39,916 Threads accounts were removed in the first week of enforcement. While Meta supports the goal of ensuring child safety online, it argues that blanket restrictions are not the most effective approach. Instead, it advocates for age verification at the app store level and for parental approval systems that could provide consistent, privacy-preserving, and age-appropriate experiences across all platforms.

The Australian law is being monitored globally since it goes further than similar policies in places like Florida and the European Union, notably by not allowing parental exemptions. It is currently the world’s strictest regulation regarding minors’ access to social media. The policy enjoys broad support from parents and some political groups abroad, with the UK’s Conservative Party proposing to adopt a similar model. However, many experts warn that young Australians can easily bypass the ban by falsifying their age or migrating to less-regulated platforms. Critics, including mental health advocates, stress that the law might isolate vulnerable children—especially those from LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, or rural communities—by limiting their opportunities for connection and support online.