Meta to block Instagram and Facebook for users under 16 in Australia

Meta volition halt Instagram, Facebook and Threads for users successful Australia nether the property of 16, the institution has said.

The artifact volition travel into effect by 10 December to comply with the country's societal media prohibition for young teenagers.

Meta, which operates the 3 apps, said it had begun notifying users it believed were betwixt 13 and 15 that their accounts volition beryllium unopen down done in-app messages, email and texts.

From 4 December, it volition commencement deactivating the accounts and blocking caller sign-ups by anyone nether 16.

The institution said the process was expected to beryllium completed by 10 December.

It antecedently indicated to Australian politicians it would lone statesman removing entree erstwhile the instrumentality comes into effect connected that date.

The institution said it would usage respective property assurance methods to comply with the prohibition and follow a "data minimisation approach", lone seeking further accusation erstwhile it had crushed to uncertainty a user's stated age.

"While we are moving hard to region each users who we recognize to beryllium nether the property of 16 by 10 December, compliance with the instrumentality volition beryllium an ongoing and multi-layered process," said Antigone Davis, Meta's vice president and planetary caput of safety.

Read more:
Australia's societal media prohibition tin beryllium enforced 'effectively' - report

There are astir 350,000 Instagram users and astir 150,000 Facebook users aged betwixt 13 and 15 successful Australia, according to the country's net regulator. No information has been published for Threads.

Meta said affected teenagers tin update their interaction details to beryllium notified erstwhile they crook 16.