Meta removes 756,000 Australian teen accounts as ban looms

<Meta removes 756,000 Australian teen accounts as ban looms>

Facebook and Instagram owner Meta announced on Thursday that it had removed over 750,000 accounts it suspected belonged to Australians under the age of 16 since implementing a world-first ban on teen accounts. The company promised further action amid potential regulatory pressure. Since the Australian social media ban began in December and ended in June, Meta deactivated 462,000 suspect Instagram accounts and 294,000 suspect Facebook accounts, compared to 331,000 Instagram accounts and 173,000 Facebook accounts removed by January.

The largest social media company expressed its commitment to comply with the law, despite its and other platforms' vocal opposition. As Australia's internet regulator investigates potential enforcement action against platforms, including Meta-owned ones, for not meeting compliance requirements, Meta aims to meet this demand. Australian government figures and multiple independent studies reveal that more than eight in ten under-16s remained on social media during the ban's initial three months.

Australia proposed the landmark law in December 2022, citing concerns about social media's impact on children and young teens' physical and mental health. The legislation, effective from December 10, 2022, includes a doubled maximum penalty for non-compliance (A$99 million) and enhanced document discovery powers for regulators.

Regulatory and government officials, alongside representatives from Meta, TikTok, Google's YouTube, and Snapchat's Snap Inc., are set to testify in a parliamentary inquiry on Friday regarding the changes. The company emphasized that enforcement is ongoing, and these figures will continue to increase.