Australians under 16 to lose social media access from 4 December

Meta will block Australians under the age of 16 from accessing Facebook and Instagram starting December 4, as the government prepares to enforce a new social media law that has raised concerns among young people and digital rights advocates. The US tech company said it will begin removing children and teenagers from its platforms ahead of the national ban on under-16 social media use, which takes effect on December 10. The law will impose fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (US$32 million) on platforms that fail to comply. Critics argue the legislation has been rushed and leaves m

Meta will block Australians under the age of 16 from accessing Facebook and Instagram starting December 4, as the government prepares to enforce a new social media law that has raised concerns among young people and digital rights advocates. The US tech company said it will begin removing children and teenagers from its platforms ahead of the national ban on under-16 social media use, which takes effect on December 10. The law will impose fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (US$32 million) on platforms that fail to comply. Critics argue the legislation has been rushed and leaves major questions unanswered, including privacy risks, mental health impacts, and how young people will access reliable information. “From today, Meta will be notifying Australian users it believes are aged 13 to 15 that they will lose access to Instagram, Threads and Facebook,” the company said in a statement. Meta added that it will block new under-16 accounts and revoke access for existing users from December 4, with the goal of removing all known under-16 users by December 10. Government data shows Australia has around 350,000 Instagram users and 150,000 Facebook users aged 13 to 15. Affected users have already begun receiving warnings. “Soon, you’ll no longer be able to use Facebook and your profile won’t be visible to you or others,” one message says. “When you turn 16, we’ll let you know that you can start using Facebook again.” The ban will also apply to other major platforms, including Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube. Australian users under 16 on Facebook and Instagram will be notified from Thursday that their accounts will be deactivated by December 10, as Meta begins compliance with the Albanese government’s new rules. The ban has sparked concern among young people, journalists, and digital rights groups. Leo Puglisi, 18, a journalist and founder of youth news service 6 News Australia, told a Senate inquiry that young people “deeply care” about the new restrictions and their consequences. Many young people rely on social media to access news, he said. “I think young people do have the right to be informed,” Puglisi said. “We’re saying that a 15-year-old can’t access any news or political information on social media. I don’t think that adds up.” Senator David Shoebridge also criticised the timing of the ban, saying “an estimated 2.4 million young people will be kicked off social media accounts just as school holidays start.” “I’m deeply concerned about the impacts of the ban, including on young people’s mental health and privacy,” he wrote in a post on X. John Pane from Electronic Frontiers Australia told the Senate inquiry that the legislation aims to protect young people from “unsuitable content,” but also introduces a “far greater, systemic risk” through the possible “mass collection of children’s and adults’ identity data.” Because most Australians under 16 do not have official ID, companies are expected to require some users to verify their age through video recordings raising privacy and cybersecurity concerns. Global interest in Australia’s approach is growing as governments examine how to manage the risks and benefits of social media use among children. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said his government is preparing a similar bill. Indonesia has also announced plans to introduce laws aimed at protecting young people from “physical, mental or moral harm.” In Europe, the Dutch government has advised parents to ban children under 15 from using apps such as TikTok and Snapchat.