Meta Takes Down 756,000 Aussie Teen Accounts

Meta has taken down 756,000 Australian teen accounts as a ban on social media use for under-16s takes effect, with the company using AI to scan for contextual clues and photo-based age estimation software to identify and remove accounts belonging to minors. The ban, which came into effect on December 10, 2025, prohibits social media use for under-16s in Australia, and Meta has removed 462,000 suspect Instagram accounts and 294,000 suspect Facebook accounts between December 2025 and June 2026.

The Australian government has introduced a law to double the maximum penalty for non-compliance to A$99 million and give the regulator greater document discovery powers. Representatives of Meta, TikTok, YouTube owner Google, and Snap's Snapchat are scheduled to give evidence in a parliamentary inquiry about the changes.

Despite the removal of accounts, more than 80% of under-16s in Australia were still using social media during the ban's first three months. The Australian government proposed the landmark law on concerns about social media's impact on the physical and mental health of children and young teens.

## What changed The ban has been in effect since December 10, 2025, and Meta has removed accounts prior to the ban coming into effect. Meta says it will continue to publish further updates on its efforts to comply with the law.

## Why it matters The move is part of a broader effort by governments around the world to regulate social media use among minors. In France, a court recently shot down a bill seeking to ban access to social media for under-15s, citing concerns about freedom of expression and communication. The Australian government's move is seen as a test case for stricter regulations on social media use among minors.

## What happens next The parliamentary inquiry will examine the effectiveness of the ban and the measures taken by social media companies to comply with the law. The Australian government's introduction of stricter penalties for non-compliance is seen as a sign of its commitment to enforcing the ban. Meta's use of AI and photo-based age estimation software to identify and remove accounts belonging to minors is seen as a key part of its efforts to comply with the law.