Overview
- Meta has started notifying Australian users it believes are 13–15 that access to Instagram, Facebook and Threads will be cut from December 4.
- Australia’s Social Media Minimum Age law takes effect December 10 and applies broadly to services including TikTok, YouTube, X, Reddit and Snapchat.
- Regulators estimate about 350,000 Instagram accounts and 150,000 Facebook accounts held by 13–15-year-olds will be affected in Australia.
- Teens flagged in error can appeal by verifying age via a government ID or a video selfie age estimation, though evaluators caution no method is foolproof.
- Meta says it will comply despite criticizing the policy, and Roblox is introducing under‑16 chat limits and mandatory age controls in Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands starting in December.