Meta will deactivate Facebook, Instagram and Threads accounts held by users under 16 in Australia, with notifications to affected teenagers beginning on Thursday as the company moves to comply with the Albanese government’s forthcoming social media age ban.
Under the new rules, young users will receive 14 days’ notice via in-app alerts, email and SMS before their accounts are shut off. Access to existing under-16 accounts will be blocked from 4 December, with all affected profiles fully deactivated by 10 December, Meta confirmed.
Because Threads requires an Instagram login, the ban will automatically extend to that platform. Messenger is exempt, though Meta has had to redesign its systems so young users can continue using the messaging service without maintaining a Facebook account.
Teenagers will be able to download and save posts, messages, photos and Reels, and can restore their accounts once they turn 16. They may also choose to delete their accounts permanently.
Meta’s regional policy director, Mia Garlick, said: “When you turn 16, and can access our apps again, all your content will be available exactly as you left it.” She also urged families to ensure accurate information is provided on accounts, adding: “We also ask parents to work with their children to ensure the correct birth date is registered on their social media accounts.”
The company says it will notify accounts it “understands” to belong to under-16s but will not disclose how those assessments are made, arguing that revealing the process could show teenagers how to evade detection. If users aged 16 or older are mistakenly flagged, they can verify their age through facial age-assurance — which requires a video selfie — or by submitting government identification via Yoti’s age-verification technology. Any account attempting to change its listed age from under 16 to over 16 must undergo verification.
Meta acknowledged that age estimates will not be perfect, describing the chosen method as the least privacy-intrusive approach available. The company also said it was investigating an unrelated issue that was preventing under-16 users in Australia from creating new Instagram accounts.
While Meta is complying with the new legislation, the tech giant continues to argue that its existing teen-safety settings — which restrict who can contact minors, limit advertising and offer parental oversight — would be a better alternative to a blanket ban. The company has also reiterated that age verification should be handled by app stores.
Meta’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, said: “While we 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.”
Meta is the first major platform to publicly outline its compliance plan ahead of the 10 December deadline. The ban covers Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit and Kick. Other companies are expected to detail their approach in the coming weeks, with TikTok and Snapchat stating they will comply.
YouTube argues it should not be included in the ban and has not confirmed compliance, though it has previously suggested legal action may be considered. NSW Libertarian MP John Ruddick has also announced plans to seek a High Court challenge on the grounds that the law restricts freedom of political communication.
Elon Musk’s X platform has voiced opposition to the ban but has not yet confirmed whether it will obey the new rules.
