Home / Technology / Meta Tackles Under-16 Accounts: 750K Removed in Australia
Meta Tackles Under-16 Accounts: 750K Removed in Australia
13 Aug
Summary
- Meta removed over 750,000 suspected under-16 Australian accounts.
- The tech giant is complying with Australia's strict teen social media law.
- Further regulatory action is being considered by Australian authorities.
Meta Platforms has reported the removal of over 750,000 accounts suspected of belonging to Australians under the age of 16. This action was taken between the implementation of Australia's social media ban in December and June. Specifically, 462,000 Instagram accounts and 294,000 Facebook accounts were deactivated. This represents a significant increase from earlier figures reported in January.
The company stated its commitment to complying with Australia's landmark law, despite previous opposition from platforms. This comes as Australia's internet regulator weighs potential enforcement actions against social media companies. The law, which took effect on December 10, aims to protect the physical and mental health of children and young teens.
Meta is employing AI to analyze user profiles for clues suggesting an account holder is under 16, such as birthday mentions or school references. They have also removed the ability for users to repeatedly attempt account creation after a previous deletion. Representatives from Meta, TikTok, Google, and Snap are scheduled to provide testimony at a parliamentary inquiry regarding these changes.
