Post by : Badri Ariffin

Meta, TikTok and Snap have announced plans to deactivate accounts belonging to Australians under the age of 16 from December 10, following passage of a national law that forbids minors from holding social media accounts.

The legislation, described as the first of its kind globally, requires technology companies to take “reasonable steps” to prevent those under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts, with potential fines reaching A$49.5 million (US$32.5 million) for non-compliance.

While the platforms initially criticised the measure—warning it might push young people toward less regulated online spaces—they have since signalled they will implement the changes to meet legal obligations.

Government figures presented in parliament indicate Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has identified roughly 450,000 Australian accounts tied to users under 16. Affected users will be offered the option to have their data deleted or held securely until they turn 16.

TikTok has reported about 200,000 underage accounts in Australia, and Snap around 440,000. The companies say they will rely on behavioural signals and other detection methods to locate accounts where ages may have been misrepresented.

“From December 10, accounts found to belong to users under 16 will be deactivated,” said Ella Woods-Joyce, TikTok’s Australian policy lead.

Meta and TikTok will permit a review process using an independent age-estimation service if users believe they were incorrectly flagged. Snap is still developing its procedure for handling mistaken deactivations.

The move is being watched internationally as governments and regulators focus on young people’s mental health and online safety. Australia’s enforcement of strict age-based limits could set a precedent for other jurisdictions considering similar measures.

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