Meta Reports Removing 750K Under-16 Accounts in Australia

Meta’s Compliance with Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban

Meta has released new data on its enforcement of Australia’s under-16 social media ban, revealing that it has removed access to more than 750,000 accounts across Facebook and Instagram since June 2025. The company confirmed these accounts were identified as belonging to users below the legal age requirement.

This marks an increase from the 550,000 accounts Meta reported removing in January 2025. The company attributed the rise to enhanced detection systems, particularly AI-powered tools that analyze profiles for contextual clues—such as birthday celebrations or school-grade mentions—to identify underage users.

Ongoing Enforcement and Transparency

Meta stated that enforcement efforts are ongoing, with numbers expected to grow. The company reports its actions to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner and plans to publish periodic updates to maintain transparency.

In addition to AI detection, Meta has streamlined reporting for parents and community members to flag suspected underage accounts. The company also ran an educational campaign on Facebook and Instagram to inform users about its enforcement process and the consequences of account removal.

Challenges in Enforcement

Despite Meta’s efforts, Australia’s eSafety Commission reported that 81.5% of underage users continue accessing restricted apps. The Commission attributed this primarily to platforms failing to verify ages consistently. According to its findings, 50.2% of underage users said they were never asked to confirm their age, while 18.2% claimed platforms incorrectly estimated their age.

Meta has advocated for standardized age verification at the operating system or app store level, arguing that a unified approach would be more effective than platform-specific checks. The eSafety Commission, however, maintains that early challenges are part of the transition period and expects stricter penalties for non-compliance.

Industry-Wide Implications

The debate highlights broader challenges in enforcing age restrictions across social media platforms. As regulatory pressure intensifies, Meta’s call for systemic solutions may influence future policy discussions.

like.tg continues to monitor developments in global social media regulations. For further updates, stay tuned to our coverage.