More than 544,000 accounts have been removed from Facebook, Instagram, and Threads following Australia's new ban on under-16s using social media, Meta reported in a compliance update a month after the law came into effect on Dec. 10, 2025.
Between Dec. 4 and 11, 2025, the company said it deactivated 330,639 Instagram accounts, 173,497 Facebook accounts, and 39,916 Threads accounts believed to belong to minors.
The legislation also covers other platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat, X, Reddit, Kick, and YouTube, placing responsibility on tech companies to identify and remove underage users.
Companies face fines of up to $49.5 million if they fail to take "reasonable steps" to enforce the ban.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said the law protects children from online harms and the addictive impact of algorithms, warning that the new rules shield Generation Alpha from being "sucked into purgatory by predatory algorithms described by the man who created the feature as ‘behavioural cocaine."
Meta, however, argued the ban fails to improve safety, noting that under-16s can still access platforms like YouTube in a logged-out state, where algorithms continue to shape content exposure.
The tech giant urged stricter measures, including app store age verification and parental consent requirements, to provide consistent protections across platforms.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the rollout would not be flawless but described the initiative as a necessary step, emphasising public engagement and parental discussion as measures of success.
Meta called for government-industry collaboration to explore "better ways forward," including incentivising safer algorithmic practices.