Meta Blocks Over 750,000 Underage Accounts in Australia

Australia’s social media ban for children under 16 took effect on Dec. 10, 2025, requiring covered platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent minors from holding accounts. Companies that systematically fail to comply can face penalties of up to A$49.5 million. Overseen by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, the rules rank among the world’s toughest age restrictions for social media and have made reliable age detection a central enforcement challenge.

Meta said it has blocked more than 750,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts belonging to Australian users under 16. The company uses AI to assess age-related signals in posts, comments and profile information, while continuing to identify accounts that may be attempting to evade the restrictions. Meta also renewed its call for age verification to be handled centrally by operating-system providers or app stores, including those run by Apple and Google, rather than separately by each social platform.