Australians younger than 16 will be removed from Facebook and Instagram on December 4, tech giant Meta said on Thursday, as Canberra prepares to enforce sweeping laws banning teenagers from social media.
From December 10, Australia will force social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to remove users under 16 or face hefty fines.
Meta said it would begin removing teenagers from its platforms before the ban takes effect.
“Starting today, Meta will notify Australian users it understands to be aged 13-15 that they will lose access to Instagram, Threads and Facebook,” Meta said in a statement.
“Meta will begin blocking new under-16 accounts and revoking existing access starting December 4th and expects to remove all known under-16s by December 10th.”
There are about 350,000 Instagram users aged 13-15 in Australia and about 150,000 Facebook accounts, according to government figures.
Meta has started warning affected users that they will soon be locked out.
“Soon you will no longer be able to use Facebook and your profile will not be visible to you or others,” reads a message sent to affected users.
“When you turn 16, we’ll let you know that you can start using Facebook again.”
Teens will be able to access their accounts “exactly as you left it” when they turn 16, Meta told them.
Heavy fines
Accounts flagged in error could verify their age using a “video selfie” or by providing government-issued ID.
Social media companies have previously described the laws as “vague”, “problematic” and “rushed”.
Meta again expressed his concern on Thursday.
“We share the Australian Government’s aim to create safe, age-appropriate online experiences, but cutting off teenagers from their friends and communities is not the answer.”
There is much interest in whether Australia’s sweeping restrictions can work as regulators around the globe grapple with the dangers of social media.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon will introduce a similar bill to restrict children’s use of social media.
And the Dutch government advised parents this year to ban children under 15 from using social media apps like TikTok and Snapchat.
Social media companies caught in breach of the laws will face fines of up to $US49.5 million ($32 million).
On paper, the ban is one of the strictest in the world.
But some experts worry that the law will be symbolic only because of the difficulty of implementing and monitoring online age verification.
