Overview
- eSafety Commissioner said platforms must submit monthly disclosures on the number of terminated under-16 accounts under the Online Safety Amendment.
- Meta began shutting down accounts it believes belong to users under 16 on Facebook and Instagram and plans to block new underage sign-ups.
- Enforcement begins 10 December with potential penalties up to A$49.5 million for failures to prevent or remove underage accounts.
- Australia’s High Court agreed to hear a challenge by two 15-year-olds as early as February, contesting the ban on constitutional grounds.
- Officials signaled initial leniency for age-verification disruptions, as researchers and teens report active workarounds and likely migration to alternative apps.