The American company Meta has announced that it has deleted more than 544,000 accounts across its platforms in Australia, in an effort to comply with a new law prohibiting social media use by children under 16.
According to Meta, the removed accounts include:
- 330,639 on Instagram
- 173,497 on Facebook
- 39,916 on Threads
These actions took place between December 4 and 11, 2025, while the law officially came into effect on December 10.
This legislation is among the strictest of its kind in the world, requiring platforms to block children under 16 from holding accounts, with fines of up to AUD 49.5 million for non-compliance.
Although Meta is complying with the rule, the company criticized the law, saying it does not improve safety or well-being for young people, and that online age verification remains unreliable. Meta suggested that age verification should be done at the app store level, not just on the platforms themselves.
The Australian government and supporters of the law argue that the measure is intended to protect children from harmful algorithms and content, while some experts warn it may push young users toward less regulated apps.
