Meta sets date to remove Australians under 16 from Instagram, Facebook

Starting 4 December, Meta will draw a firm digital line in Australia, barring users under 16 from Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, heralding the arrival of a landmark social media ban set to take full effect on 10 December, the Al Jazeera reported.

The move comes as Canberra gears up to impose hefty fines, up to A$49.5 million (US$32 million), on platforms failing to comply with its landmark legislation aimed at shielding children from the perils of online life.

Meta has announced that accounts of Australian teens aged 13–15 will be gradually removed, warning users that their profiles will soon vanish from public view. Government figures estimate some 500,000 Instagram and Facebook accounts will be affected. “When you turn 16, we’ll let you know you can return to Facebook,” the company assures, offering a distant promise of restored access.

The ban, however, has stirred a maelstrom of concern among youth, advocates, and lawmakers alike. Journalists and youth campaigners argue that the legislation curtails access to news and political discourse at a critical age, potentially leaving millions of young Australians disconnected from the world just as school holidays begin. Senator David Shoebridge warned that the sweeping measure could harm mental health and privacy, while John Pane of Electronic Frontiers Australia highlighted the new systemic risks it creates, particularly around the mass collection of identity data for verification purposes.

Australia’s bold move places it at the forefront of a global debate over children and digital safety. Governments from New Zealand to Indonesia and Europe are eyeing similar restrictions, weighing the balance between shielding minors from harmful content and preserving their right to information, community, and digital participation.

As Meta and other platforms prepare to implement age-verification measures — potentially requiring young users to record videos of themselves — questions loom over the efficacy and consequences of such a sweeping clampdown. Will it truly protect children, or will it erect new barriers to their digital lives, privacy, and engagement with the wider world? Only time will tell as the world watches this unprecedented experiment in regulating the social media landscape.