Instagram to start closing Australian under-16 accounts week before government deadline
Meta warns young Australians to download data before social media ban launched
- Meta is deactivating Instagram and Facebook accounts for Australian users under 16 from 4 December, ahead of a new government law.
- The tech giant will complete the removal of access by 10 December, the date Australia's law banning social media for under-16s takes effect.
- An estimated 150,000 Facebook and 350,000 Instagram users aged 13-15 in Australia could be affected by the ban.
- Meta states that content will be available again when users turn 16, and platforms breaching the law face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($32 million).
- Experts hope the ban will encourage young people to engage more in real-world activities, though concerns remain about the law's enforcement and privacy implications.