Tech giant Meta has announced it will reluctantly begin removing teenagers from its popular social media platforms in preparation for Australia's groundbreaking minimum age laws that take effect next month.
Massive Account Deactivation Looms
Starting December 10, children under 16 will be completely blocked from accessing Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Kick and Reddit under the world-leading ban. This represents a significant transition for Australia's digital landscape, with approximately 1.5 million social media profiles requiring deactivation across affected platforms.
Recent platform statistics reveal the scale of the upcoming changes: Snapchat reported around 440,000 monthly users aged 13-15, Instagram approximately 350,000 in the same age group, YouTube about 325,000 and TikTok roughly 200,000. However, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has previously indicated these figures likely represent an "underestimation of the true numbers" of young Australians using these services.
Implementation Timeline and User Options
Meta will commence blocking access to existing Instagram, Threads and Facebook accounts for teenagers under 16 from December 4, while simultaneously preventing new account creation from this demographic.
The company stated on Thursday: "We'll begin sending notifications today to give those affected a heads-up that they will soon lose access, and will have 14 days to download their memories or delete their account. They can also update their contact information so we can get in touch and help them regain access once they turn 16."
Companies failing to take "reasonable steps" to prevent under-16s from using their platforms face substantial penalties of up to $49.5 million for systemic breaches.
Exemptions and Industry Response
Not all digital services fall under the new restrictions. Online gaming platforms, standalone messaging apps, and specific services including Discord, Steam, YouTube Kids, Lego Play and WhatsApp remain exempt from age verification requirements. Teenagers will also retain access to Facebook Messenger despite the broader Meta platform restrictions.
In a notable development, gaming platform Roblox - though initially excluded from the legislation - announced on Wednesday it will voluntarily implement age verification measures following concerns it was "becoming a playground for paedophiles." The platform will restrict chatting functions to within users' age groups and adjacent cohorts to minimize inappropriate interactions.
Meta has expressed alignment with the government's goal of creating safer online experiences but maintains that completely severing teenagers from their social networks "isn't the answer." The company advocates for alternative legislation requiring parental approval whenever children under 16 download apps.
"Teens are resourceful, and may attempt to circumvent age assurance measures to access restricted services," Meta cautioned. "Realistically, we can only do so much to determine age without requiring everyone to provide a government ID - which isn't safe, poses significant privacy risks, and could lead to identity theft."
The company proposes that parents could verify their teenager's age during phone setup, eliminating repetitive age verification across multiple applications.
Government Stance and Global Implications
Communications Minister Anika Wells defended the minimum age laws as essential protection for young Australians from "pressures and risks that users can be exposed to while logged in."
"There's a time and place for social media in Australia, but there's not a place for predatory algorithms, harmful content and toxic popularity meters manipulating Australian children," Minister Wells stated. "Online platforms can target children with chilling control. We are mandating they use that sophisticated technology to protect them."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged that parents "who have gone through tragic circumstances" had strongly advocated for these changes.
However, the restrictions have prompted some backlash, including an influencer family with millions of followers deciding to leave Australia, citing the upcoming age limitations as a primary factor.
Industry experts note that while the $49.5 million fines might seem substantial, they may prove insufficient to compel compliance from billion-dollar corporations. Stephen Scheeler, former head of Facebook Australia, suggested the real concern for platforms is whether Australia's approach will trigger global adoption.
"If Australia is the only country that does this, it will make no difference," Scheeler observed. "If you're impeding the ability of people between 13 to 16 from being on a platform, my guess is probably that 15 per cent of users would be in that category ... so they're losing that amount of logged-in users. If that happened globally, that's a substantial hit on revenue."
The eSafety Commissioner confirmed that while initially only a handful of platforms will face age-restriction requirements, ongoing assessments mean the list will remain dynamic, with services potentially being added or removed based on evolving criteria and compliance.
