Younger teens in Australia are receiving notices from Meta as the country prepares to enforce its new ban on under-16s using major social media platforms.
From 4 December, accounts belonging to users believed to be 13–15 years old on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads will begin to deactivate, with a full legal ban taking effect on 10 December.
The restriction also applies to TikTok, YouTube, X, Reddit, Snapchat, and Kick, with penalties of up to A$50 million for platforms that fail to block underage users. Children will be allowed to download their data and can challenge deactivation through video-selfie age scans or government-issued ID.
Australia’s government says the move is designed to “let children be children” and shield them from online pressures, while tech companies warn that determined teens may still try to evade age checks. Some platforms, like Roblox, are already updating safety features to avoid falling under the ban.
Article 17 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child says children have the right to access information from the media while being protected from harmful content.
