Meta Removes Young Australian Users From Instagram and Facebook in Landmark Safety Push
Sydney,Australia - December 4,2025 - Meta has begun removing children and teenagers under the age of 16 from its platforms,Instagram and Facebook,in Australia,marking a significant escalation in efforts to protect young users online. the move, initiated this week, is a response to increasing pressure from regulators and child safety advocates concerned about the potential harms of social media on developing minds.
The rollout follows Meta’s global policy update announced in April 2024, requiring age verification for users accessing its platforms. Australia is among the first countries to see widespread implementation of the policy, impacting an estimated hundreds of thousands of young Australians. Users who are unable to verify their age as 16 or older will have their accounts disabled, and will be directed to resources designed to support their online safety. The company states that it is indeed utilizing a combination of technologies, including age-appropriate design principles and parental controls, to enforce the changes.
This action arrives amid growing scrutiny of social media’s impact on youth mental health, body image, and exposure to harmful content. Concerns have been amplified by research linking increased social media use to higher rates of anxiety, depression, and cyberbullying among adolescents. Australian regulators have been particularly vocal, pushing for stronger safeguards and greater accountability from tech companies.
Meta’s implementation involves a third-party age verification service, Yoti, to assess user ages. While the company emphasizes its commitment to privacy, the use of age verification technology has raised concerns among privacy advocates regarding data security and potential misuse. The Australian Information Commissioner’s Office is monitoring the rollout to ensure compliance with privacy laws.
The company plans to continue refining its age verification methods and expanding the rollout to other regions in the coming months. This move signals a broader industry shift towards prioritizing child safety, though questions remain about the effectiveness of age verification and the long-term impact on young peopel’s access to online communities.
