Meta Blocks Over 500,000 Under-16 Accounts in Australia, Calls for App Store Protections
In Focus
- Australia’s social media age limits law took effect in December 2025
- Major social media platforms to prevent under-16 from using social media under the law
- Meta removed 330,000 Instagram and 173,000 Facebook accounts last month
Meta is urging Australia to reconsider the under-16 social media law after blocking over 500,000 social accounts last month. According to CNBC, the social media giant argues that teen protections should be extended beyond social media platforms to realize industry-wide protections.
Under-16 Ban Affects Major Social Media Platforms
Australia’s landmark social media ban came to effect in December 2025. The country’s Online Safety Amendment Act introduced age-restricted social media access and requires 10 major social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, to keep users under 16 years old off their platforms.
The Australian government and lobby groups supported the ban, saying it was critical in protecting children from harmful algorithms and content. But questions about the effectiveness of a social media ban have emerged after kids under-16 bypassed the age restrictions on different platforms.
Although platforms like Meta agree on the need to promote online safety for young people, they emphasize the need to explore alternative measures.
“We call on the Australian government to engage with industry constructively to find a better way forward, such as incentivising all of industry to raise the standard in providing safe, privacy-preserving, age appropriate experiences online, instead of blanket bans,” Meta said as cited by CNBC.
Meta removed Instagram accounts in Australia despite introducing teen safety restrictions that prohibit under-16s from going live without parental approval.
Meta Wants Protections Extended to App Stores
Meta said it has partnered with a non-profit called OpenAge Initiative to introduce Age Keys, which use face estimation and government ID to determine user age. The social media giant wants the age verification requirement to be cascaded to app stores, arguing that teens use more than 40 applications each week.
“This is the only way to guarantee consistent, industry-wide protections for young people, no matter which apps they use, and to avoid the whack-a-mole effect of catching up with new apps that teens will migrate to in order to circumvent the social media ban law,” The company added as per CNBC.
The tech giant claims most apps don’t prioritize online safety. They are not regulated by the Australian social media law and do not verify user age.
Impact of Australia’s Social Media Ban
The under-16 social media ban in Australia prompted other countries to take action as concerns over teen mental health continue to emerge. Last year, U.K. regulator Ofcom introduced child protection rules requiring social media platforms to take action to keep young people safe online. Indonesia also announced plans to tighten its social media laws to enhance teen online safety.
Social platforms have also taken steps to enhance under-16 safety online. For instance, YouTube introduced a teen mental health video section to provide curated, age-appropriate content on mental health topics like anxiety and depression. Meta blocked teen accounts belonging to 330,000 Instagram users, 173,000 Facebook users, and close to 40,000 Threads users between December 4 and 11, 2025.
