Meta notifies Australian teens under 16 of account shutdown ahead of ban

Ban begins December 10 with fines Up to AUD 50 Million for non-compliant platforms

Meta-owned platforms Instagram, Facebook, and Threads have begun informing Australian teenagers under 16 that their accounts will be deactivated ahead of the country’s social media age restriction.

Meta said it has started sending notifications to users believed to be between 13 and 15 years old via text messages, email, and in-app alerts, warning that their accounts will begin deactivation from December 4.

The ban will officially take effect in Australia on December 10 and applies to several other platforms, including TikTok, YouTube, X, and Reddit.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the “world-leading” measure as aimed at “letting kids be kids.” Meta and other companies oppose the ban but said they will comply with the law.

Australia’s internet regulator estimates there are 150,000 Facebook users and 350,000 Instagram users in the 13–15 age bracket.

Starting December 4, children under 16 will no longer be able to create accounts on Meta’s platforms.

The company has asked young users to update their contact details so they can receive notifications when they become eligible to open an account. Users can also download and save their posts, videos, and messages before their accounts are deactivated.

Meta clarified that teens who can verify they are of the permitted age may challenge the restriction by submitting a “video selfie” for facial age verification or by providing a driver’s license or other government-issued ID.

The UK-based Age Check Certification Scheme (ACCS) recently tested these methods but noted that no single solution works for all cases.

Platforms failing to take “reasonable steps” to block under-16 users face fines of up to AUD 50 million (approximately USD 30 million).

Antigone Davis, Meta’s Vice President and Global Head of Safety, told Reuters: “While we are working to remove all users we believe to be under 16 by December 10, compliance with the law will be an ongoing, multi-layered process.”

Meta also expressed support for a law requiring under-16s to obtain parental approval before downloading any social media app. Davis added: “Teens are resourceful and may try to bypass age verification to access restricted services, but we are committed to taking the necessary steps to comply with the law.”

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said the ban aims to protect teens from “the pressures and risks they may face while logged into social media accounts.”