In preparation for Australia’s groundbreaking social media ban for minors, Meta Platforms has begun the process of shutting down thousands of accounts belonging to Australian children under the age of 16. The massive compliance effort, which is expected to affect an estimated half a million accounts, began on Thursday, just a week ahead of the December 10 deadline for the new law.
The legislation, passed last year, makes Australia the world’s first country to pass a law outright banning children and teenagers under 16 from using major social media platforms. Companies like Meta face hefty fines of up to A$49.5 million (approx. £25 million) for non-compliance.
Meta confirmed that in addition to removing existing accounts, it is also blocking the creation of new accounts for under-16 users in Australia. A spokesperson stated that compliance would be an “ongoing and multilayered process,” but assured affected minors that they can still download their digital history and will be notified before they turn 16 to regain access and have their content restored.
The government is defending the measure as a necessary protection for young people’s mental health against the pervasive harms of social media. This stance was strongly reiterated by eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant at the Sydney Dialogue cyber summit.
Inman Grant noted that while she was initially concerned about the “blunt-force” approach, she now supports the ban after incremental regulatory changes proved ineffective against the companies’ “powerful, harmful, deceptive design features.” She declared, “We’ve reached a tipping point.”
The eSafety Commissioner anticipates that the Australian law will be the “first domino to fall” in a global effort to curb the power of Big Tech, revealing that governments worldwide are closely monitoring the law’s implementation. This global significance is underscored by the fact that Meta and other social media giants have fiercely pushed back against the regulation.
The ban extends beyond Meta’s platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Threads) to include TikTok, Snapchat, X, Reddit, Kick, Twitch, and YouTube. Data from eSafety indicates that approximately 96% of Australian teenagers under 16—over one million children—currently hold social media accounts.
The move has triggered controversy, with a legal challenge being mounted by two teenagers, supported by the Digital Freedom Project. They argue that the law is “grossly excessive” and infringes on the “constitutional right of freedom of political communication.” Meanwhile, many parents, like Jennifer Jennison of Sydney, have welcomed the measure, stating it relieves pressure and protects children from mental-health implications.