Meta removes 756,000 under-16 accounts in Australia ahead of scrutiny

MUMBAI: Meta is drawing a harder age line in Australia. The Facebook and Instagram parent has removed more than 756,000 accounts believed to belong to Australians under 16, as the company steps up compliance with the country’s social media age restrictions ahead of possible regulatory action.

Between December and June, Meta deactivated 462,000 Instagram accounts and 294,000 Facebook accounts suspected of being operated by under-16 users. The latest figures represent a significant increase from the numbers the company disclosed earlier this year.

The removals come as Australia’s internet regulator considers enforcement action against social media platforms that may not have done enough to comply with the country’s landmark restrictions for minors.

Australia’s law came into force on 10 December and prevents children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms. The legislation was introduced amid concerns over the potential impact of social media on the mental and physical wellbeing of young users.

Meta had opposed the legislation before its implementation but said it is continuing to work towards meeting its obligations. The company also warned that enforcement remains an ongoing process and that more accounts could be removed in the future.

The regulatory pressure is also coming with a heavier price tag. The Australian government has proposed increasing penalties for non-compliance to as much as A$99 million, alongside broader investigative powers for regulators.

Yet the numbers being removed tell only part of the story. Australian government data and independent studies have indicated that a large proportion of under-16 users continued to access social media during the initial months after the ban came into force, raising questions about how effectively the restrictions can be enforced.

The issue is now moving into Australia’s parliamentary spotlight. Representatives from Meta, TikTok, Google-owned YouTube and Snap are scheduled to appear before a parliamentary inquiry examining the implementation of the age restrictions and the measures being taken by platforms to comply.

Government and regulatory officials are also expected to testify as the country assesses whether the new rules are delivering the intended protection for younger users.

Meta said it shares the Australian government’s objective of ensuring that young people have safe and age-appropriate online experiences. For the company, however, the latest removals show that the age-checking battle is far from over, with the platform continuing to hunt for accounts that may have slipped through the digital gate.