Overview
- Meta has begun notifying users it believes are 13–15 and will start revoking access to Instagram, Facebook and Threads on Dec. 4, targeting full removal of known under‑16s by Dec. 10.
- Affected teens receive about 14 days’ notice to download or archive their content, and accounts can be restored with content intact once the user turns 16.
- Those wrongly flagged can verify their age via Yoti’s age check, a government ID upload or a video selfie, though researchers note no method is universally reliable.
- The law carries fines up to A$49.5 million for failures, and also covers TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, Reddit and Kick, while messaging apps and many gaming services are excluded.
- Government figures suggest roughly 350,000 Instagram and 150,000 Facebook accounts will be affected, as experts warn of privacy risks, misidentification and likely teen workarounds; Roblox separately tightened chat rules and age checks.