Australia’s world-first social media ban is unofficially underway, with Meta beginning to remove children under 16 years from its Instagram, Facebook and Threads platforms from today.
While the law officially kicks in on 10 December that will ban teens from social media, Meta is taking steps to do so from 4 December, with an estimated half a million users under 16 to be affected.
The federal government announced that as part of the social media ban, the onus will be on the platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from creating or keeping an account. Platforms that fail to comply could “face $50 million fines”.
So far, there are 10 platforms that the law applies to, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Reddit, Twitch, Kick and Threads.
It’s expected that some people under-16 will move to other platforms that aren’t covered by the new ban, including Yope, Lemon8 and RedNote. However, the government has warned the list of platforms on the ban list could grow.
Last month, Meta announced that users identified as being under 16 would be able to download and save their posts, videos and messages before their accounts get deactivated. Once a young person turns 16, Meta has said they’ll allow users to reopen their accounts.
Account holders who wish to fight their removal from Meta are able to undergo facial scans or provide ID to prove they are 16 or older.
“Before you turn 16, we will notify you that you will soon be allowed to regain access to the platforms, and your content will be restored exactly as you left it,” a Meta spokesperson said, adding that the platform understands “compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multilayered process”.
On Wednesday, Communications Minister Anika Wells told the National Press Club she expected pushback in the first few weeks of the social media ban but that it was about protecting Gen Alpha and future generations.
“Increasing the minimum age to have a social media account is not a cure, it is a treatment plan. And this is not set and forget. We can’t be static in dynamic environments – because the tech sure isn’t,” Wells said.
Earlier this year, the government commissioned a study that found 96 per cent of Australian children aged 10-15 used social media, and seven out of 10 of them have been exposed to harmful content such as misogynistic and violence material, including promoting eating disorders and suicide.