In a significant move to comply with new Australian legislation, Meta has deactivated close to 550,000 accounts it identified as belonging to teenagers. The action came in the first week after the country's controversial under-16s social media ban took effect.
First Week Figures Reveal Scale of Action
The tech giant disclosed that between 4 December and 11 December 2025, it blocked a total of 544,052 accounts across its family of apps. The breakdown shows the majority were on Instagram, with 330,639 accounts deactivated. Facebook saw 173,497 accounts removed, while the newer platform Threads accounted for 39,916.
Meta began the process of deactivating accounts on 4 December, shortly after the Australian law came into force. The company described its ongoing compliance as a "multi-layered process" that it will continue to refine. However, it reiterated its longstanding concerns about accurately determining age online without an established industry standard.
Implementation Challenges and Political Scrutiny
The ban's rollout has not been without issues. Australia's federal opposition, which originally campaigned for the policy, has criticised its implementation, claiming it has "fallen flat." Shadow communications minister Melissa McIntosh argued that many under-16 accounts remain active, some initially removed accounts have been reactivated, and new accounts are being created.
McIntosh also stated that the age-verification tools promised by the government have proven easy to bypass with simple methods like makeup and good lighting. She highlighted that some young users have migrated to platforms not initially named in the ban, such as Yope and Lemon8.
The Australian government has acknowledged the ban would not be perfect immediately. The eSafety commissioner's office has queried all ten platforms covered by the law about deactivation numbers but has not yet released consolidated data.
International Ripples and the UK Pressure
The Australian experiment is being closely monitored globally, particularly in the United Kingdom. The UK Labour government is now facing mounting pressure to introduce a comparable ban for teenagers. This pressure intensified over the weekend when UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch stated her party would support a ban on social media for under-16s.
While complying with the Australian mandate, Meta has called on the government to work constructively with the industry to find an alternative to a blanket ban. The company advocates for a collaborative approach to ensure age-appropriate experiences online.
The ten platforms mandated to implement age checks on 10 December 2025 include:
- Twitch, Kick, YouTube
- Threads, Facebook, Instagram
- Snap, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Reddit
Some platforms not initially listed, like the X alternative Bluesky, have proactively implemented age-assurance measures in anticipation of the law's reach.
