Meta has started removing users under 16 from Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.
The action marks one of the earliest and most visible effects of the new Australian social media ban.
The sudden enforcement has left many parents and teens confused as the deadline draws closer.
Australia now requires large platforms to block underage users by December 10.
Moreover, companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” to follow the rule may face heavy fines.
The law has placed pressure on global platforms, and Meta’s early action shows how seriously the tech giant is taking the new requirement.
A Meta spokesperson explained that the company has been working to remove users identified as under 16 before the deadline.
The spokesperson added that compliance will be “ongoing and multi-layered,” which suggests that this new rule will not end with a single sweep.
In addition, Meta noted that affected users can save their online history and will regain access once they turn 16.
The change is expected to reach a wide group of young Australians.
Instagram alone has reported about 350,000 users aged 13 to 15 in the country.
Meanwhile, some platforms such as Roblox, Pinterest, and WhatsApp have been exempt from the rule. However, officials say this list is not final.
Meta has stated that it supports the new law but offered a different approach for the future.
The company argued that app stores should verify age and get parental approval when teens under 16 download apps.
According to Meta, this method would stop teens from repeating the age-check process on every platform.
YouTube has also raised concerns. The company warned that the ban may make young users “less safe” because children without accounts can still watch videos but lose access to safety filters.
Australia’s communications minister dismissed this argument as “weird,” saying platforms must deal with “their own unsafe content.”
The minister also pointed to painful cases in which teens died after harmful online content targeted their insecurities.
Therefore, the government believes the new rule is an important step, even if it cannot fix every digital risk.
A legal challenge has been launched by an internet rights group that argues the rule limits free speech.
Furthermore, authorities expect many teens to try to dodge the new law using fake IDs or AI-edited images.
Regulators admit no system will ever be perfect, yet enforcement will continue.
Other nations are watching closely as the Australia social media ban unfolds.
