Meta has shut down about 550,000 social media accounts belonging to children in Australia, complying with a new law that bans users under age 16 from accessing major social media platforms, the company said.
The action follows legislation that took effect Dec. 10, making Australia the first democratic nation to impose a nationwide restriction on social media use by children under 16. Under the law, platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok are required to prevent underage access.
In a blog post, Meta said it removed approximately 330,000 Instagram accounts, 173,000 Facebook accounts and nearly 40,000 Threads accounts believed to belong to users younger than 16.
Companies that fail to comply face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (about $33 million).
The Australian government introduced the law following growing public concern over the potential harms of social media on children and adolescents.
Meta said it is committed to complying with the legislation. However, the company said a full ban is not the best long-term solution, urging authorities to pursue a broader approach that encourages the technology industry to provide safe, privacy-protecting and age-appropriate online experiences for young users.
The government has said enforcement will continue as platforms adjust their systems to meet the new legal requirements. (Newswire)