KUALA LUMPUR — Tech giant Meta has begun removing Australian users aged under 16 from Instagram, Threads and Facebook as the country prepares to enforce a world-first youth social media ban, AFP reported.
Under the new law taking effect on December 10, major platforms, including TikTok and YouTube, must prevent under-16s from accessing their services or face penalties of up to A$49.5 million (RM134.6 million).
A Meta spokesperson said the company was working to remove all identified underage users by the deadline, but stressed that “compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process”.
Affected users will be able to save and download their account histories, and will be notified that they can regain access once they turn 16, with all content restored.
Instagram alone has about 350,000 Australian users aged 13 to 15, meaning hundreds of thousands of adolescents are expected to be impacted. Some platforms, including Roblox, Pinterest and WhatsApp, are exempt, though the list may change.
Meta said it would comply with the law but urged the government to place responsibility on app stores to verify users’ ages.
“The government should require app stores to verify age and obtain parental approval… eliminating the need for teens to verify their age multiple times across different apps,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by AFP.
YouTube has also criticised the ban, arguing it could make young users “less safe” because those without accounts would still be able to watch videos but lose access to restricted-mode safety filters. Communications Minister Anika Wells dismissed that argument as “weird”.
“If YouTube is reminding us that it is not safe and there’s content not appropriate for young users, that’s a problem YouTube needs to fix,” Wells said. She added that harmful algorithmic targeting had contributed to youth suicides and that the new law would help teenagers “chase a better version of themselves”.
The Digital Freedom Project has launched a High Court challenge, calling the restrictions an “unfair” breach of freedom of speech. Authorities also expect many teens to attempt to bypass the system using fake IDs or AI-altered photos. The national e-safety watchdog acknowledged that “no solution is likely to be 100 per cent effective”.
Australia’s move is being closely watched globally as regulators grapple with the risks of social media. Malaysia has indicated plans to implement a similar ban next year, while New Zealand is set to follow suit. – December 4, 2025