Meta to Block Under-16s in Australia Ahead of Sweeping Social Media Ban

Meta will block Australians under the age of 16 from accessing Facebook and Instagram starting December 4, as Canberra prepares to enforce one of the world’s strictest age-based social media bans.

The company said Tuesday it will begin removing accounts belonging to teens aged 13 to 15 ahead of the new law, which takes effect December 10 and threatens platforms with fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (US$32 million) for violations.

“From today, Meta will be notifying Australian users it understands to be aged 13–15 that they will lose access to Instagram, Threads and Facebook,” the company said in a statement. “Meta will begin blocking new under-16 accounts and revoking existing access from 4 December, expecting to remove all known under-16s by 10 December.”

According to government data, there are roughly 350,000 Instagram users and 150,000 Facebook users aged 13–15 in Australia. Impacted users are already receiving in-app warnings:

“Soon, you’ll no longer be able to use Facebook and your profile won’t be visible to you or others. When you turn 16, we’ll let you know that you can start using Facebook again.”

The Australian government says the crackdown is meant to protect children from online harms, citing concerns over mental health, exploitation, and exposure to explicit material. But critics, including youth advocates and digital rights groups — warn the law was rushed through without clarity on privacy implications, enforcement mechanisms, or the broader social costs of cutting off teens from online spaces.

Beyond Meta’s platforms, the ban will also apply to Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, according to officials.