Meta Cracks Down: Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban Hits Instagram, Facebook, and Threads

Meta slams the door on young users in Australia. The tech giant's new policy blocks anyone under 16 from creating accounts on its flagship platforms—Instagram, Facebook, and the newer Threads.

The Age Gate Tightens

Forget fudging your birth year. Meta's enforcement cuts off a traditional entry point for the digital-native generation, aiming to create a higher age-verified wall around its social ecosystems. The move responds to growing regulatory heat over youth safety and data privacy.

Australia as the Testing Ground

The policy lands first in Australia, a market often used as a proving ground for stricter global tech regulations. It signals a proactive—or defensive—shift from Meta as lawmakers worldwide scrutinize social media's impact on minors.

The Ripple Effect on Engagement

Blocking an entire demographic segment doesn't just protect kids—it potentially shrinks a future user base. For a company whose stock price feeds on monthly active user numbers, it's a calculated risk. Wall Street analysts will be watching closely, likely more concerned with the next quarter's ad revenue than long-term child welfare. A cynical take? It's cheaper to build a fence than to patrol the playground.

What's Left Unsaid

The ban raises immediate questions. How will age be verified? What happens to existing accounts of under-16 users? And will this simply push younger audiences to less-regulated platforms? Meta's silence on the details speaks volumes—this is a compliance headline first, a product strategy second.

The new digital divide isn't about who has access, but who's permitted. Meta just redrew the line.

TLDRs;

• Meta begins removing Australian users under 16 from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads starting December 4.
• Around 500,000 accounts are impacted, representing roughly 3% of local Instagram and Facebook users.
• New law enforces strict age checks, with fines up to AUD 49.5 million for non-compliance.
• Age verification vendors see increased demand as social media platforms adjust to legal requirements.

Meta has announced that it will start deactivating accounts of Australian users under 16 on Facebook and Instagram ahead of a new law coming into effect on December 10, 2025. Threads users are also affected, as the app requires an Instagram account to sign in.

The MOVE is expected to impact approximately 500,000 accounts, according to estimates from the eSafety Commissioner, Australia’s national online safety regulator.

Starting December 4, 2025, Meta will also prevent users under 16 from creating new accounts across its platforms. The company has notified users it believes are aged 13 to 15, offering options to appeal if they were wrongly flagged. Affected users can update their contact details to be notified when they turn 16, download their data, or delete their accounts.

Significant Numbers in Australia’s Social Media Landscape

The 500,000 underage accounts represent about 2.8% of Facebook’s 17.7 million ad-reachable users and 3.3% of Instagram’s 15.2 million users in Australia. Despite the reduction, Meta’s ad reach in the country remains substantial, with Facebook reaching over 65% of the population and Instagram 56%.

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This regulatory change highlights the challenge of balancing compliance with maintaining user engagement. By proactively implementing these changes, Meta aims to avoid potential penalties while testing the effectiveness of its age verification processes.

Legal Pressure Spurs Age Verification Measures

Australia’s Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 requires platforms to take “reasonable steps” to prevent users under 16 from creating accounts. Companies face fines up to AUD 49.5 million for systemic violations.

While the law allows a 12-month window for implementing these systems, the definition of “reasonable steps” remains somewhat ambiguous.As a result, Meta has adopted a hybrid approach using multiple age assurance methods. Users may be asked to provide additional verification if there is doubt about their age.

This could include combining behavioral signals, document verification, or biometric checks. Minors themselves face no penalties, placing full responsibility on social media providers to ensure compliance.

Age Verification Vendors See Growing Demand

The stricter regulations have created a market opportunity for age verification technology vendors. Australia’s Age Assurance Technology Trial cleared 21 verification providers, including Yoti and iProov, who offer privacy-compliant digital identity solutions.

Age estimation providers, which use algorithms to approximate a user’s age, have also gained recognition, though false rejections remain higher for younger teens.

These vendors offer hybrid systems to balance accuracy, cost, and user experience. With similar regulations expected in other countries, social media platforms globally may increasingly rely on these technologies.

TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube are also within the scope of Australia’s rules, suggesting that the demand for robust age assurance tools will continue to grow.