Overview
- Australia’s law requires ten major platforms to block users under 16 by 10 December, with fines up to A$49.5 million for systemic non-compliance.
- Meta has started deactivating suspected under-16 accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Threads, notifying users to download their data and promising restoration at 16.
- Google says YouTube will sign out users it deems under 16 from 10 December using Google account data and other signals, a move the company argues will not make teens safer.
- The eSafety Commissioner will issue information notices on 11 December and monthly for six months, and officials caution that removals will be gradual rather than immediate across services.
- A High Court challenge by the Digital Freedom Project is pending, as debate continues over privacy risks, potential misclassification and teens shifting to alternatives such as Lemon8 and Yope.