Meta Challenges Australia’s New Social Media Law Impacting Teen Users
Meta has removed hundreds of thousands of Australian teen accounts from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads ahead of a new law banning under-16s from social media platforms. The company disputes the legislation's effectiveness, arguing it fails to protect youth while cutting off access to supportive online communities.
The tech giant reported taking down 330,000 Instagram accounts, 173,000 Facebook profiles, and 39,000 Threads users in the week preceding the December 10 ban. Meta contends the law's premise—shielding minors from algorithmic experiences—is flawed, as platforms still employ algorithms for logged-out users.
Australian officials will soon release official removal statistics across affected platforms. Meta warns the policy may drive vulnerable teens toward less-regulated apps with weaker safety measures, potentially exacerbating the risks the law intends to mitigate.
