Australia Said No Kids on Social Media. Meta Just Deleted 756,000 to Prove It's Listening

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Australia Said No Kids on Social Media. Meta Just Deleted 756,000 to Prove It’s Listening

Australia’s under-16 social media ban is forcing Meta’s hand, and the numbers are staggering.

At a Glance

Meta removed 756,000 suspected under-16 accounts across Instagram and Facebook (Dec–June)
Instagram: 462,000 accounts | Facebook: 294,000 accounts
Fines for non-compliance just doubled to A$99 million (~$69.75M)
Parliament hears evidence from Meta, TikTok, Google and Snap on Friday

Meta says the crackdown is only accelerating. As Australia’s regulator weighs legal action against platforms it says are dragging their feet, the company is racing to show it’s playing by the rules of the world’s first teen social media ban.

What Happened

Between December and June, Meta pulled 462,000 suspected underage Instagram accounts and 294,000 on Facebook – nearly double what it had removed by January (331,000 and 173,000, respectively). The ban took effect December 10, targeting anyone under 16.

Why It Matters

Despite the takedowns, government data and independent research suggest over 80% of under-16s were still active on social media in the ban’s first three months. Australia has accused platforms of engineering the rules to fail, and just handed regulators sharper enforcement teeth, including bigger fines and expanded document powers.

What’s Next

Executives from Meta, TikTok, Google, and Snap face Australian lawmakers on Friday. Expect the hearing to shape how, and how fast, the rest of the world follows Australia’s lead on youth social media limits.

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Source: Reuters

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