meta to Deactivate Accounts of Australian Minors under 16 Amid New Online Safety Regulations
Sydney, Australia - Meta will begin deactivating the accounts of users under the age of 16 in Australia starting December 10, complying wiht new regulations designed to enhance online safety for children. The move impacts users across Meta’s platforms,including Facebook and Instagram,and marks Australia as one of the first nations globally to implement restrictions of this scope.
The new law,passed by the Australian goverment,aims to protect minors from harmful online content and requires significant age verification measures for social media access. Companies failing to adhere to the regulations face substantial fines - up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (approximately $32 million USD or €27.7 million). While Meta acknowledges the intent behind the legislation, the company strongly objects to the approach, arguing a blanket ban isolates young people and is inconsistent with the broader digital landscape.
Meta has voiced concerns that a direct ban is not the optimal solution, stating that it ”isolates adolescents from their digital and data communities.” The company advocates for legislation empowering parents to approve app downloads, allowing families – rather than the government – to determine which applications teenagers can access.
To address potential errors in age verification, Meta will offer users mistakenly locked out of their accounts the option to verify their age using a video “selfie” or an identity document through the third-party verification application Yoti.The regulations come into effect as other countries worldwide study similar measures to safeguard children online.
