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Meta begins shutting down teen accounts in Australia ahead of under-16 nationwide social media ban

November 19, 2025
warHial Published by Iulita Onica 5 months ago

In a global first, Australia is enforcing a sweeping ban on social media use for anyone under 16 — and Meta is already acting. Starting December 4, Instagram, Facebook, and Threads will begin automatically deactivating accounts belonging to users aged 13 to 15.

The ban officially takes effect on December 10, marking the most aggressive government move against Big Tech in the Western world.

How big is the impact?

Australia’s e-Safety Commission estimates:

  • 350,000 teens aged 13–15 use Instagram

  • 150,000 use Facebook

All will now lose access unless they successfully prove they’re older than 16.

Notifications are being sent via SMS, email, and in-app alerts.

Teens can download all:

  • posts

  • videos

  • messages

before their accounts disappear.

No new accounts allowed for under-16s

From December 4 onward, minors under 16 will not be able to create new accounts on Meta platforms. The ban also applies to:

  • TikTok

  • YouTube

  • X

  • Reddit

  • Kick

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese calls the measure “world-leading,” claiming it will help “let kids be kids.”

Tech companies oppose the law but have agreed to comply to avoid massive penalties.

Verification: The only way teens can fight the shutdown

Meta will allow users to appeal only through strict age-verification:

  • video selfie facial-age analysis

  • government-issued ID

UK-based ACCS, which tested the tools, warned that no universal or foolproof age-check system exists.

Platforms face fines up to AUD 50 million

The legislation requires platforms to take “reasonable steps” to block under-16s — or face enormous penalties.

Meta says teens “are resourceful” and likely to attempt bypassing age checks, but insists it will fully comply with Australian law.

Why the ban? Mental health crisis and online risks

Authorities say the goal is to protect minors from:

  • online grooming

  • bullying

  • toxic algorithms

  • addictive design

  • exposure to violence and sexual content

Officials argue that social media companies have failed for years to police underage users, forcing the government to intervene.

Roblox adjusts features to avoid being classified as a restricted platform

Roblox, one of the most popular platforms among children, announced:

  • under-16 users will no longer be allowed to chat with adult strangers

  • age checks will be mandatory for chat features

Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands will see the first rollout in December.

Platforms included in the ban

BANNED for under-16s:

  • Instagram

  • Facebook

  • Threads

  • Snapchat

  • TikTok

  • X

  • Reddit

  • YouTube

  • Kick

NOT BANNED:

  • Roblox

  • Discord

  • WhatsApp

  • Messenger

  • Steam

  • Google Classroom

  • LEGO Play

  • YouTube Kids

Australia has turned itself into a real-time test case for global tech regulation. Other governments are watching closely — and if the experiment works, Big Tech may face the most dramatic shift in its history.

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