Meta has begun removing Australian users under 16 from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads ahead of a world-first social media ban starting 10 December. Around 150,000 Facebook accounts and 350,000 Instagram accounts are expected to be affected. Teens can download their content before deactivation or appeal via ID verification.
The ban, targeting platforms including YouTube, X, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, and Twitch, aims to protect children from online harms such as cyberbullying, grooming, and exposure to violent or harmful content. Critics warn it could isolate some children or push them to less-regulated apps.
Communications Minister Anika Wells described the law as protecting “Generation Alpha” from the “dopamine drip” of social media, while Meta called for standardized age verification through app stores to simplify compliance. YouTube criticized the move as “rushed” and potentially making its platform less safe for children.
NIM
