Australia is bringing a major change to protect children online. Starting 10 December 2025, a new law will remove all users under 16 years of age from social media platforms. Meta (the parent company of Facebook and Instagram) has already announced that it will begin removing accounts before the law comes into effect. Meta to Remove Accounts from 4 December
Meta said that from 4 December, it will begin blocking and deleting accounts of users aged 13–15 on:
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- Threads
Teen users in this age group will receive notifications informing them that they will soon lose access to their accounts. Meta aims to complete the removal of all under-16 accounts by 10 December.
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What the New Law Says
The Australian government will enforce a law from 10 December requiring all social media companies including Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to remove users below 16 years of age. If platforms fail to follow the rule, they could face heavy penalties.
Big Fines for Social Media Companies
If companies do not remove under-age users, they can be fined up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (around ₹283 crore).
How Many Kids Will Be Affected?
Government data shows:
- Around 350,000 Australian Instagram users are aged 13–15
- Around 150,000 Facebook accounts belong to this age group
- Accounts mistakenly removed can be restored after age verification, either through:
- A video selfie, or
- Government-issued ID proof
Meta Expresses Concerns
Although Meta says it supports keeping young people safe online, it believes this law may disconnect teenagers from their friends and online communities.
Other Countries Taking Similar Steps
New Zealand is preparing to introduce a similar law to protect children from social media harms. The Netherlands has already advised parents not to allow children under 15 to use platforms like TikTok and Snapchat.