Overview
- Meta began deactivating accounts it estimates belong to under‑16s on December 4, blocking new sign‑ups and flagging roughly 500,000 accounts for removal, with access restored once users turn 16.
- The eSafety Commissioner will require platforms to publish monthly totals of underage accounts removed, with disclosures starting shortly after enforcement begins on December 10.
- Australia’s High Court agreed to hear a constitutional challenge brought by two 15‑year‑olds, as Communications Minister Anika Wells said the government is confident it can defend the law.
- Platforms are rolling out age‑assurance tools including facial‑age estimation (such as Yoti) and bank or government ID checks like ConnectID, though government trials found 34–57% of 13–15 year‑olds were wrongly classified as over 16.
- The rules currently cover ten major services including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X, Snapchat, Reddit, Threads, Twitch and Kick, carry fines up to AU$49.5–50 million, exclude Discord and Roblox, and allow short‑term rollout leniency and user appeals.