Meta has removed more than 7 lakh Instagram and Facebook accounts it suspected belonged to under-16 users, as the company continues to enforce Australia’s landmark social media age restriction. The company said it deactivated 462,000 suspected underage Instagram accounts and 294,000 Facebook accounts between December and June. According to Reuters, the figures have more than doubled from the 331,000 Instagram and 173,000 Facebook accounts Meta said it had removed by January.
Meta’s latest numbers come as Australia steps up scrutiny of how social media platforms are enforcing the ban. The law, which came into effect on December 10, prevents children under 16 from holding accounts on major social media platforms. It was introduced over concerns about the impact of social media on children’s physical and mental health.
Meta has maintained that it is complying with the law despite previously opposing it. The company is now facing the possibility of regulatory action, with Australia’s internet regulator examining whether platforms have taken sufficient measures to prevent underage users from accessing their services. Meta, however, says its enforcement efforts are far from over.
“Enforcement is ongoing, and these numbers will continue to grow,” Meta said in a statement. The company added, “We share the Australian Government’s goal of ensuring young people have safe, age-appropriate experiences online, and we are meeting our obligations under the law.”
Meta is using AI to find underage accounts
Meta says it is using AI and other tools to identify accounts that may belong to users under 16. Instead of relying only on information entered by users, its systems look for clues in profiles and activity, including birthday celebrations, references to school grades and reports from other users.
The company has also introduced restrictions to stop users from simply creating another account after an earlier one has been removed for being underage. The scale of the crackdown could increase further. Australia is considering tougher penalties for platforms that fail to comply, including a proposal to nearly double the maximum fine to A$99 million.
Representatives from Meta, TikTok, Google and Snapchat are also scheduled to appear before a parliamentary inquiry on Friday.
Australia’s approach is being closely watched globally, as other countries consider similar age restrictions for social media. Despite the crackdown, government data and independent studies have suggested that a large majority of under-16 users continued to access social media during the early months of the ban, showing how difficult it may be for platforms to keep younger users off their services.
