Meta deactivated nearly 550,000 accounts after Australia's under-16s social media ban

Meta said it deactivated 544,052 accounts it believed were held by users under 16 across Instagram, Facebook and Threads between 4 and 11 December. Ten platforms named by the government implemented age checks on 10 December 2025 as part of the new ban.

Meta has deactivated several hundred thousand accounts it regards as belonging to users under 16 following Australia’s new ban on social media use by under-16s. The company reported 544,052 deactivations across Instagram, Facebook and Threads between 4 and 11 December. The Australian government named ten platforms covered by the ban, and those platforms implemented age checks on 10 December 2025. The move has attracted attention domestically and abroad as policymakers and platforms discuss how to enforce age rules. Key details: - Meta reported 544,052 accounts deactivated: 330,639 on Instagram, 173,497 on Facebook and 39,916 on Threads. - The government’s list of platforms covered included Twitch, Kick, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, Instagram, Snap, X, TikTok and Reddit, which put in place age checks on 10 December 2025. - Meta said ongoing compliance will be a "multi-layered process" and raised concerns about determining age online without an industry standard. - Australia’s eSafety office asked platforms for data on deactivations but had not released figures at the time of the report. - Opposition figures and some observers reported that some under-16 accounts remained active, that some accounts reappeared, and that some young users migrated to platforms not initially named in the list. Summary: The reported deactivations indicate platforms are taking technical steps to follow the new rule while regulators and political figures assess how effectively it is working. Undetermined at this time.