Australia is introducing a world-first ban blocking under-16s from most major social media platforms, and Meta has begun shutting down or freezing teen accounts in advance of the law taking effect.
From 10 December, Australians under 16 will be barred from using platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, X, Reddit, Snapchat and others, with services facing fines up to A$50m if they do not take “reasonable steps” to keep underage users out. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the measure “world-leading”, arguing it will protect children from online pressure, unwanted contact and other risks.
Meta’s account shutdown plan
Meta has started messaging users it believes are 13–15 years old, telling them their Instagram, Facebook and Threads accounts will be deactivated from 4 December and that no new under-16 accounts can be created from that date.Affected teens are being urged to update contact details so they can be notified when eligible to rejoin and are given options to download and save their photos, videos and messages before deactivation.
Teens who say they are old enough to stay on the platforms can challenge Meta’s decision by submitting a “video selfie” for facial age estimation or uploading a driving licence or other government ID. These and other age-assurance tools were recently tested for the government by the Australian Childrens’ eSafety provider, which concluded that no single foolproof solution exists and that each method has trade-offs.
Enforcement, concerns and workarounds
Australia’s e-Safety Commissioner says the goal is to shield teens from harm while online, but platforms warn tech-savvy young people may try to circumvent restrictions and argue instead for laws requiring parental consent for under-16s. In a related move, Roblox has said it will block under-16s from chatting with unknown adults and will introduce mandatory age verification for chat in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands from December before expanding globally.
The e-Safety regulator has listed the services subject to the ban: Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube. Exempt services include Discord, GitHub, Google Classroom, Lego Play, Messenger, Roblox, Steam and Steam Chat, WhatsApp and YouTube Kids, which are viewed as either educational, messaging-focused or more controlled environments for younger users.