Table of Contents
A new law in australia will restrict access to major social media platforms for children under 16, prompting Meta to notify potentially affected users to download their data and consider deleting their accounts.
Technology giant Meta began alerting thousands of young Australians on Thursday, November 20, 2025, to a looming social media ban impacting users under the age of 16. The move comes as the company prepares to comply with a world-first Australian legislation requiring Tok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, take “reasonable steps” to exclude account holders under 16 years of age, beginning December 10, 2025. Meta is the first of the targeted companies to detail its compliance strategy.
According to a company release, Meta is contacting potentially impacted teens via SMS and email, offering a two-week window to save their data and memories before access is potentially denied starting December 4, 2025. Users are also encouraged to update their contact information to facilitate regaining access upon turning 16.
Scale of the Impact
Meta estimates approximately 350,000 Australians aged 13-15 are active on Instagram, and another 150,000 in that age bracket use Facebook. Considering Australia’s total population of 28 million, these numbers represent a important portion of the youth demographic.
For account holders 16 and older who receive an incorrect exclusion notice,Meta is providing a pathway for verification through Yoti Age Verification. this process requires submitting goverment-issued identification or a “video selfie.” However, experts caution that facial-recognition technology is not foolproof.”Such facial-recognition technology had a failure rate of at least 5%,” noted Terry Flew, co-director of Sydney University’s Center for AI, Trust and Governance, in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
Government Oversight and Potential Penalties
The Australian government has cautioned platforms against overly burdensome verification methods, stating that requiring all users to prove their age would be an unreasonable response. Officials believe platforms already possess sufficient data to identify and exclude young children. Non-compliance could result in substantial fines, potentially reaching 50 million Australian dollars ($32 million).
Calls for app Store-Level Verification
Meta’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, suggested a more complete solution lies with app stores. “We believe a better approach is required: a standard,more accurate,and privacy-preserving system,such as OS/app store-level age verification,” Davis stated. She argued that integrating age verification into the app store sign-up process – through platforms like Apple’s App Store and Google Play – would be more effective and protect user privacy.
Parental Response and Long-Term implications
The move has been welcomed by parent advocacy groups.Dany Elachi, founder of Heaps Up Alliance, which lobbied for the age restriction, urged parents to proactively plan choice activities for their children. “The principle that children under the age of 16 are better off in the real world, that’s something we advocated for and are in favor of,” elachi said. he acknowledged some reservations about the legislation’s specifics but emphasized the overall positive impact.
While the implementation presents challenges, the Australian legislation marks a significant step toward protecting young people online and reshaping the relationship between children and social media. The coming weeks will be critical as Meta and othre platforms navigate the complexities of compliance and a new era of digital age verification.
© 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Citation: Meta alerts young australians to download their data before a social media ban (2025, November 20) retrieved 20 November 2025 from https://techxplore.com/news/2025-11-meta-young-australians-download-social.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part might potentially be reproduced without the written permission. the content is provided for information purposes only.
