Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, has begun restricting access to its platforms for users under the age of 16 in Australia.
This move comes in response to a groundbreaking new Australian law, set to take effect on December 10, which requires major social media platforms—including TikTok and YouTube—to prohibit underage users.
Companies that fail to comply with the legislation may face fines of up to AUD 49.5 million (USD 32 million) for not taking “reasonable steps” to enforce the age restriction.A spokesperson for Meta stated that the company is working to remove all users believed to be under 16 before the deadline.
“Compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process,” the spokesperson said. Impacted users will be able to save and download their online histories, and Meta has assured that once individuals reach the age of 16, they will be notified and allowed to regain access to their accounts, with their content restored as previously left.
The new regulations are expected to affect hundreds of thousands of young Australians, with Instagram alone reporting around 350,000 users aged 13 to 15. While platforms such as Roblox, Pinterest, and WhatsApp are currently exempt from the ban, authorities have indicated that the list of exempt services is under continuous review.
