Australian Facebook and Instagram users under 16 will be notified starting Thursday that their accounts will be deactivated by 10 December, as Meta begins to comply with the Albanese government’s social media ban.
Users affected by the ban will receive 14 days’ notice of their pending account deactivation through a combination of in-app messages, email and SMS before their access is cut off.
The ban will affect users on Facebook and Instagram, as well as Threads, as an Instagram account is required to use that platform. Messenger is excluded from the ban – but Meta has had to develop a way for users to keep access to Messenger without a Facebook account as a result of the ban.
Meta will begin stopping access to existing accounts and blocking under-16s from registering new accounts from 4 December, with access removed for all affected accounts by 10 December, the company said.
Teenagers who will have their accounts deactivated can download and save their posts, messages and short videos, or Reels. They will be able to return to their account once they turn 16, or opt to delete their account entirely.
“When you turn 16, and can access our apps again, all your content will be available exactly as you left it,” said Mia Garlick, Meta’s regional policy director.
“We also ask parents to work with their children to ensure the correct birth date is registered on their social media accounts.”
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Meta said it would send the messages to all accounts it “understands” to be under 16 but would not say how it was determining which accounts may be under 16, to avoid explaining to under-16s how the ban may be circumvented.
If Meta mistakenly flags a user who is 16 or over as under 16, they can use facial age assurance – meaning taking a video selfie – or provide a government ID using Yoti’s age assurance technology. Accounts seeking to change their age from under 16 to over must verify their age.
Meta said it expected there would be errors in estimating age – as was evident in the age assurance technology trial – but the company believed this was the least privacy-intrusive way to estimate age.
Meta on Wednesday said it was investigating an issue where users in Australia who put their age in as under 16 were not able to register a new account on Instagram, and said it was unrelated to the changes announced on Thursday.
The tech giant is complying with the ban but continues to argue that its teen accounts setting – which limits who teenagers can contact, restricts advertising and gives parental control – would be a better alternative to a ban.
Meta has also said it believes there should be age verification done through the app stores.
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“While we are working hard to remove all users who we understand to be under the age of 16 by 10 December, compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process,” said Antigone Davis, Meta’s global head of safety.
Meta is the first tech company to state how it will comply with the ban before 10 December. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit and Kick are covered by the ban as it is set to begin next month.
Other companies are expected to explain their position in the coming weeks. TikTok and Snapchat have said they will comply with the ban.
YouTube maintains it should not be included in the ban but has yet to state whether it will comply. The company previously indicated it may launch legal action but has yet to embark on that course of action.
NSW Libertarian politician John Ruddick has said he plans to seek a hearing in the high court to challenge the law on the grounds of freedom of political communication.
Elon Musk’s X platform has also expressed its opposition to the ban, and has not yet said whether it will comply with the law.
Have you received a notification from Facebook or Instagram that you account will be shut down? Get in touch with Josh at josh.taylor@theguardian.com