Overview
- Meta has begun notifying users it believes are 13–15 that they will lose access, with new under‑16 sign‑ups blocked and existing access revoked from December 4, aiming to remove known under‑16s by December 10.
- Affected teens are being given about two weeks to download or archive their content and to update contact details so accounts can be restored when they turn 16.
- Users wrongly flagged can verify eligibility through Yoti by submitting government ID or a video selfie, and anyone changing a listed age from under 16 to over 16 must complete verification.
- Australia’s law requires platforms to take reasonable steps to exclude under‑16s or face fines up to A$49.5 million, covering services such as Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, Reddit and Kick, with messaging and some gaming services currently exempt.
- Officials expect roughly 350,000 Instagram and 150,000 Facebook accounts of 13–15 year‑olds to be affected, as the eSafety Commissioner keeps a dynamic list of covered platforms and experts warn of accuracy limits, privacy risks and potential shifts to less regulated spaces.