As Australia’s social media ban deadline approaches, Meta’s social media networks, Facebook and Instagram, have begun closing down half a million accounts of users under the age of 16.
This measure is being made in advance of a new Australian regulation, the Social Media Minimum Age (SMMA) and the social network ban for under-16s is set to take effect on December 10, 2025, although Meta warned users last month that it will begin closing down accounts on December 4.
In February, the eSafety commissioner revealed that there are around 150,000 Facebook accounts and 350,000 Instagram accounts held by people aged 13 to 15.
Meta will also begin prohibiting the creation of new accounts for Australian users under the age of 16.
Meta announced through a representative that they are working hard to remove all users who we understand to be under the age of 16 by 10 December, compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process.
The representative went further to advise, “If you’re under 16, you can still save and download your Instagram, Threads, and Facebook digital histories.
“Before you turn 16, we will notify you that you will soon be allowed to regain access to these platforms, and your content will be restored exactly as you left it.”
Due to the requirement for an Instagram account to utilise Threads, under-16s will no longer be able to maintain an account.
Meta has not revealed the number of Threads users, but it is likely a subset of the total number of Instagram account holders.
Just recently, precisely last month, Meta began contacting users it believed to be under the age of 16 about their upcoming account deletion, as well as offering appeals to individuals it incorrectly categorised as under the age of 16.
Anika Wells, the communications minister, informed the National Press Club on Wednesday that if a child has a social media account on December 10th, “that platform is breaking the law,” but acknowledged that it would take time for “the age assurance sieve” to filter out existing accounts and prevent new ones from being created.
She elaborated further that most parents, carers and teachers I talk to don’t expect perfection, but what they do say to me is ‘Thank you for trying this – do not back down!’.
“Increasing the minimum age for social media accounts is a treatment plan, not a cure. And this is not something you do once and forget about. We can’t remain static in dynamic contexts, because the technology isn’t.”
The platforms may face $49.5 million in fines for failing to take reasonable precautions to prevent minors from opening accounts.
On Tuesday night, Julie Inman Grant, the eSafety commissioner, told Senate estimates that while she will be monitoring the platforms starting on December 10th, she will be using a “graduated risk and outcomes-based approach to compliance and enforcement, focussing on platforms with the highest proportion of underage users.”
The government has determined that Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, Snapchat, X, Reddit, Kick, Twitch, and YouTube must execute the ban by next week.
With the exception of X and Reddit, every company has stated that they will abide by the restriction. They were both asked for their opinions.
The government’s goal is to safeguard children’s mental health and well-being from the possible dangers of social media, such as cyberbullying and toxic content.
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