Younger Australian teenagers on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads are being told their accounts will be shut down ahead of the country's social media ban for under-16s. Meta, which owns the three brands, said it had begun notifying users it believes to be between 13 and 15 years old by text, email, and in-app messages that their accounts would start being deactivated from 4 December.
The ban in Australia comes into force on 10 December. It affects a number of platforms which also include TikTok, YouTube, X, and Reddit. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the world-leading ban was aimed at letting kids be kids. Meta and other firms oppose the measure but said they would comply.
Australia's internet regulator has estimated there are 150,000 Facebook users and 350,000 teens on Instagram in the 13-15 age bracket. From 4 December, children aged below 16 will not be able to create accounts on Meta's social media platforms. The company said it was asking young users to update their contact details so they could be notified when they became eligible to open an account.
Users can download and save their posts, videos, and messages before their accounts are shut down. Meta mentioned that teens who claimed to be old enough to use Instagram, Facebook, and Threads could challenge the restriction by taking a video selfie for facial age scans or providing a driver's license or government-issued ID.
All these verification methods were tested by the UK-based Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) earlier this year, in a report commissioned by the Australian state. While the ACCS stated that all methods had their merits, it added: We did not find a single ubiquitous solution that would suit all use cases, nor did we find solutions that were guaranteed to be effective in all deployments.
Social media platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to block under-16s could face fines of up to A$50m (£25m). While we are working hard to remove all users we understand to be under the age of 16 by 10 December, compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process, said Antigone Davis, vice-president and global head of safety at Meta.
Meta advocates for a law requiring parental approval for under-16s downloading social media apps, suggesting teenagers may try to circumvent age assurance measures to access restricted services. Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, emphasized that the ban aims to protect teens from the pressures and risks they may encounter on social media. Meanwhile, gaming platform Roblox has taken steps to prevent children under 16 from chatting with adult strangers, announcing mandatory age checks starting in December to align with the new regulations.
The ban in Australia comes into force on 10 December. It affects a number of platforms which also include TikTok, YouTube, X, and Reddit. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the world-leading ban was aimed at letting kids be kids. Meta and other firms oppose the measure but said they would comply.
Australia's internet regulator has estimated there are 150,000 Facebook users and 350,000 teens on Instagram in the 13-15 age bracket. From 4 December, children aged below 16 will not be able to create accounts on Meta's social media platforms. The company said it was asking young users to update their contact details so they could be notified when they became eligible to open an account.
Users can download and save their posts, videos, and messages before their accounts are shut down. Meta mentioned that teens who claimed to be old enough to use Instagram, Facebook, and Threads could challenge the restriction by taking a video selfie for facial age scans or providing a driver's license or government-issued ID.
All these verification methods were tested by the UK-based Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) earlier this year, in a report commissioned by the Australian state. While the ACCS stated that all methods had their merits, it added: We did not find a single ubiquitous solution that would suit all use cases, nor did we find solutions that were guaranteed to be effective in all deployments.
Social media platforms that fail to take reasonable steps to block under-16s could face fines of up to A$50m (£25m). While we are working hard to remove all users we understand to be under the age of 16 by 10 December, compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process, said Antigone Davis, vice-president and global head of safety at Meta.
Meta advocates for a law requiring parental approval for under-16s downloading social media apps, suggesting teenagers may try to circumvent age assurance measures to access restricted services. Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, emphasized that the ban aims to protect teens from the pressures and risks they may encounter on social media. Meanwhile, gaming platform Roblox has taken steps to prevent children under 16 from chatting with adult strangers, announcing mandatory age checks starting in December to align with the new regulations.
