Australia has become the first country in the world to introduce a ban on access to social media platforms for users under the age of 16.
US technology company Meta announced that it has disabled 550,000 accounts in Australia identified as belonging to users under 16.
Following the adoption of the law in December, the company stated that it had restricted access to approximately 330,000 accounts on Instagram, 173,000 on Facebook, and 39,000 on Threads.
Meta emphasized that instead of imposing bans, governments should engage in constructive cooperation with the industry to develop safe, privacy-preserving, and age-appropriate online experiences. The company also criticized the inconsistent age-verification methods currently used to determine users’ ages.
Under the law that came into force on 10 December 2025, social media users under the age of 16 in Australia are unable to access various platforms. The legislation aims to reduce the harmful effects of social media on young people.