Meta begins early account removals
Meta now removes Australian children under 16 from Instagram, Facebook and Threads. The company implements the move one week before the national youth ban begins. Meta said last month that it had warned users aged 13 to 15 about closures starting on 4 December. Around 150,000 Facebook accounts and about 350,000 Instagram profiles will lose access. Threads remains affected because users must log in through Instagram. Australia’s new law starts on 10 December and demands clear action from platforms. Companies risk fines of up to A$49.5m if they fail to block under-16s.
Meta pushes for unified age checks
A company spokesperson told a British news outlet that compliance will stay complex and ongoing. She said Meta will respect the law but believes countries need a better and more private system. Meta wants app stores to check ages when users download apps and to require parental approval for under-16s. This step would stop repeated age checks across different platforms. Meta said last month that flagged teens can save posts, videos and messages before removal. Young users who feel wrongly classified can request a review and upload a short video selfie to prove their age. They may also present a driver’s licence or another government ID.
Wide impact across major platforms
The ban also affects YouTube, X, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick and Twitch. The government says the law protects children from online harm. Critics warn that the move could isolate young people who rely on social platforms. They also fear teens may shift to less regulated online spaces. Communications Minister Anika Wells said she expects early hurdles but focuses on protecting Generation Alpha. She said powerful algorithms drag children into harmful patterns. She described young users as linked to a constant “dopamine drip” once they join social media. Wells added that she monitors lesser-known apps like Lemon8 and Yope to track where teens move after the ban.
New apps face growing scrutiny
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner asked Lemon8 and Yope to assess whether the ban applies to them. Yope’s chief executive said his company has not received direct questions but completed a self-review. He said Yope works as a private messenger without public content. He compared it with WhatsApp because users only share moments with close contacts. Reports say Lemon8 will exclude under-16s next week even though the law does not list the app. YouTube, first excluded then added, criticised the legislation as rushed. The company argues that banning teens from accounts with parental controls will weaken platform safety.
Global attention on Australia’s experiment
Governments around the world watch the new approach. A government study found that 96% of children aged 10 to 15 use social media. Seven in ten reported exposure to harmful content including violent material and posts linked to eating disorders or suicide. One in seven said they experienced grooming behaviour from adults or older children. More than half said they suffered cyberbullying.
