Meta Begins Removing Teens Under 16 in Australia

Australia’s landmark law banning social media access for users under 16 has triggered sweeping action across major platforms, with Meta beginning to remove minors from Instagram, Facebook and Threads ahead of the December 10 deadline. The company said it was “working hard” to identify and block young users, acknowledging that the process would remain “ongoing and multilayered.”

The legislation requires 10 platforms including TikTok, YouTube and Twitch, to take “reasonable steps” to block underage users or face penalties up to 49.5 million AUD. Instagram alone is estimated to have more than 350,000 Australian users aged 13 to 15, all of whom are likely to be affected. Some platforms such as WhatsApp, Pinterest and Roblox remain exempt for now.

While Meta said it would comply fully, the company pressed for systemic reform, arguing that app stores should handle age verification and parental consent. YouTube raised sharper concerns, claiming the new rules could leave minors “less safe” by pushing them to browse without logged-in protections, a position Australia’s communications minister dismissed as “weird” and insufficient.

The government insists the crackdown is vital, pointing to cases where harmful algorithmic content exacerbated mental health crises among teens. Digital rights groups, however, have challenged the law as a threat to free expression. As Australia becomes the first nation to attempt such sweeping age restrictions, regulators worldwide from Europe to Malaysia, are watching closely.