Meta Blocks 550,000 Accounts Under Australia’s Kids Ban

Meta blocks 550,000 accounts as Australia enforces a strict social media ban for kids, aiming to protect under-16s from harmful content online.

sarah

Jan 12, 2026 - 07:20

Jan 12, 2026 - 12:57

Meta Blocks 550,000 Accounts Under Australia’s Kids Ban

In December, a new law came into effect requiring the world's most popular social media sites – including Instagram and Facebook – to prevent Australians under the age of 16 from creating accounts on their platforms.

The ban is being closely watched around the world, and campaigners and the government have described it as necessary to protect children from harmful content and algorithms.

Companies, including Meta, have said they agree that more needs to be done to keep young people safe online. However, they are arguing for alternative measures, and some experts have raised similar concerns.

In a blog update, Meta said, "We urge the Australian government to work constructively with the industry to find a better way forward, such as encouraging all industries to raise standards for providing safe, private, and age-appropriate online experiences, rather than implementing outright bans."

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The company said that in the first week of complying with the new law, it blocked 330,639 accounts on Instagram, 173,497 on Facebook, and 39,916 on Threads.

They reiterated their argument that age verification should happen at the app store level – which would reduce the compliance burden on both regulators and apps – and that there should be an exemption for parental consent.

"This is the only way to guarantee consistent, industry-wide safety for young people, regardless of which app they use, and to avoid the whack-a-mole effect of chasing teenagers to new apps they will migrate to to circumvent social media ban laws."

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From the US state of Florida to the European Union, several governments are experimenting with limiting children's social media use. However, with a minimum age limit of 16, Australia is the first country to refuse to include a parental consent loophole in such a policy – making its laws among the strictest in the world. The policy is very popular with parents and has been praised by leaders around the globe, with the Tories this week pledging to implement a similar measure if they win the next election, due before 2029.

However, some experts have raised concerns that Australian children could easily circumvent the ban – either by deceiving age verification technology or by seeking out other, potentially less safe, spaces online.

And, with the support of some mental health advocates, several children have argued that it isolates young people from connection – particularly those who are LGBTQ+, neurodivergent, or from rural communities – and will leave them less prepared to navigate the realities of life online.

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