META DISABLES OVER HALF A MILLION ACCOUNTS OF UNDER-16S IN AUSTRALIA

Mon 12 January 2026:

Meta, the parent company of the US social media platform Facebook and Instagram, said it deactivated 544,052 accounts believed to have been held by users under the age of 16 in Australia following the country’s social media ban.

On Dec. 10, Australia became the first country to implement a ban on social media for children under 16. With the ban in effect, young people are prohibited from using or maintaining profiles on major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and others.

In a blog post on Sunday, the company said between Dec. 4 and 11 it deactivated 330,639 Instagram accounts, 173,497 on Facebook, and 39,916 on Threads.

“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 online experiences, instead of blanket bans,” the statement said.

The tech giant underlined that it is committed to complying with the law, while noting that its “concerns about determining age online without an industry standard remain.”

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In the last couple of years, governments worldwide have increasingly restricted children’s access to social media due to concerns over mental health, addiction, cyberbullying, and exposure to harmful content.Australia became the first country to implement a strict nationwide ban: as of December 10, 2025, kids under 16 cannot create or hold accounts on major platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, X, Reddit, Threads, Twitch, and others. Platforms must take “reasonable steps” to block or deactivate underage accounts (Meta alone deactivated over 540,000 in the first week). Fines for non-compliance reach up to ~$33 million USD.

Malaysia started enforcing a similar under-16 ban from January 1, 2026, requiring age verification (e.g., via eKYC).

France is advancing plans for an under-15 ban, potentially effective from September 2026, with President Macron pushing hard after earlier attempts.Denmark has cross-party agreement to ban social media for under-15s (possibly with parental consent exceptions for 13–14), aiming for 2026 rollout.

Other countries considering or moving toward bans/restrictions include:Norway (raising minimum age to 15).

Brazil (under-16 rules with parental linking and content limits, effective ~March 2026).

Several European nations (e.g., discussions in Spain, Italy, Greece, Germany) leaning toward higher age limits or parental consent requirements, influenced by the EU’s push for a 16+ minimum (non-binding resolution in late 2025).

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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