Meta has urged Australia to reconsider its world-first ban on social media use for under-16s, arguing that the law is ineffective and may push young users toward less regulated platforms. The legislation came into force on 10 December 2025 and requires major platforms to prevent children under 16 from holding accounts, with penalties of up to A$49.5 million for non-compliance. Meta has said it will comply with the law while continuing to raise concerns about its impact and enforcement.

Since the ban took effect, Meta reported removing more than 544,000 accounts it identified as belonging to under-16s across Instagram, Facebook and Threads. The company said the removals were carried out using existing detection tools and age-signals but noted that young users can still access content without accounts or migrate to newer platforms not clearly covered by the legislation. Meta argued that this limits the law’s ability to achieve its stated goals of improving online safety for children.

Meta has called for alternative approaches, including mandatory age verification at app-store level and systems that involve parental consent before app downloads. The Australian government has rejected these proposals, saying platforms already collect sufficient data to enforce age limits and should be responsible for compliance. The law is being closely watched internationally as other governments consider similar restrictions on children’s access to social media.