Meta has begun removing users under the age of 16 from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads in Australia ahead of the enforcement of a new nationwide youth social media ban.

The law, which takes effect on December 10, requires major digital platforms—including TikTok and YouTube—to block users below the age threshold. Non-compliance attracts penalties of up to AUD 49.5 million.

Meta said it is working to ensure underage accounts are removed before the deadline. Affected young users will be able to save or download their account history and will regain full access once they turn 16.

Instagram alone has approximately 350,000 users aged 13–15 in Australia, who will be impacted by the measure.

Some services such as Roblox, Pinterest, and WhatsApp are exempt from the new rules, though the exemption list is still under review.

While Meta expressed readiness to comply, it urged the government to shift age-verification responsibility to app stores, arguing that this would prevent teenagers from having to verify their ages repeatedly across multiple apps.

YouTube has also criticised the policy, warning that users under 16 could still access the site without accounts and therefore lose access to safety filters.

Australia’s communications minister countered these criticisms, noting that harmful online content has contributed to declines in teen well-being. She argued that the law would reduce digital risks faced by young people even if enforcement is not perfect.

Civil society groups have challenged the policy in court, describing it as overly restrictive. Regulators, however, maintain that while teenagers may attempt to bypass the system using fake IDs or AI-generated images, the safeguards will still provide meaningful protection.

The initiative is being closely watched globally as other countries—such as Malaysia and New Zealand—consider similar age-based social media restrictions.