Meta has begun removing the accounts of Australian users aged under 16, days before the country’s new age-restriction law on social media comes into force. The legislation, which takes effect on 10 December, bans children under 16 from creating or using accounts across major platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, Snapchat, Reddit and others.
The early removals began on Thursday, with Meta confirming that the process would continue over the coming weeks. According to the eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, an estimated 150,000 Facebook accounts and roughly 350,000 Instagram accounts are currently held by Australian users aged 13 to 15. These profiles are now being systematically shut down or blocked from access.
A Meta spokesperson said the company was working “hard to remove all users who we understand to be under the age of 16 by December 10,” but noted that enforcement would remain an “ongoing and multilayered process.” Affected teens will be able to download their data, and Meta says accounts will be restored once users turn 16.
The rollout coincides with a legal challenge spearheaded by two teenagers and backed by the Digital Freedom Project. The group argues the ban is excessive and shifts parental responsibilities onto government agencies. Project president John Ruddick criticised the law as disproportionate and intrusive, warning that it risks overreach by “unelected bureaucrats”.
Communications Minister Anika Wells, however, defended the legislation, describing it as a necessary step to protect young Australians from harmful algorithms and online risks. She added that regulators were now examining smaller platforms, including Lemon8 and Yope, to determine whether teens were relocating to lesser-known apps.
While Yope’s leadership has said the platform functions as a private messenger rather than a social network, the eSafety Commissioner has requested formal self-assessments from both companies.
The coming weeks will be a critical test of how effectively platforms can enforce age requirements and how families adapt to one of the world’s toughest social media rules for children.