Meta Removes 756,000 Under-16 Accounts in Australia Amid Age-Ban Enforcement
Meta removes 756,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts linked to under-16 users in Australia amid tighter age-ban enforcement.
SociapaHQ
Meta Platforms has deleted more than 756,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts believed to be owned by users under the age of 16 in Australia, as the company intensifies its compliance with the country’s social media age limits.
Meta cracked down on 462,000 Instagram accounts and 294,000 Facebook accounts it believed to be operated by under-16s between December and June. The latest figures show a huge leap from the number of account removals the company had previously revealed.
The move comes as Australia’s internet regulator considers enforcement action against social media platforms that may not have done enough to meet the country’s landmark restrictions on minors.
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Australia’s social media age-restriction law went into effect on Dec. 10, banning children under 16 on major social media platforms. The legislation was introduced with concerns over the impact of social media on the mental and physical wellbeing of young users.
Meta had fought the legislation before it was passed, but says it is working to meet its obligations under the new rules. The company said its enforcement actions were ongoing and more accounts could be taken down.
Australia Steps Up Pressure:
The move comes as the Australian government ramps up scrutiny of technology companies and its attempts to enforce a ban on social media for under-16s.
Some platforms have been accused by the government of undermining the effectiveness of the restrictions, and it has proposed increasing penalties for non-compliance to as much as A$99 million, and giving regulators wider investigative powers.
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Even with enforcement measures, data from the Australian government and independent studies have shown that a significant percentage of under-16s still accessed social media during the first months of the ban.
Meta, TikTok, YouTube, which is owned by Google, and Snap are due to appear before a parliamentary inquiry looking at the implementation of the restrictions and the compliance measures taken by social media platforms. Testimony is also expected from officials of government and regulatory bodies.
