Meta will be jumping the gun and shutting out under 16 accounts from December 4 – a week earlier than the government-sanctioned social media ban which is due to take effect from December 10.
Meta, the company behind some of the most popular social media platforms Facebook, Instagram and Threads, says it will send out notifications to 13-15 year olds as early as today.
These account holders will be given 14 days’ notice via an in-app message, email or text message before they lose access.
Then from December 4, Meta will start the process of blocking account holders aged under 16 with all known under 16 accounts to be removed by December 10.
In this time, Meta is urging users to download and save their posts, messages and reels and to update contact details so Meta can contact them when they turn 16.
The other option is to delete their accounts completely.
Users will still be able to use Messenger which falls outside of the social media ban.
“We share the government’s goal of creating safer, age-appropriate online experiences, however blanket bans bring their own set of challenges,” says Will Easton, VP and managing director, Meta Australia.
“We have invested in tools and protections to help keep young people safe online, and we will continue to advocate for solutions that balance safety, privacy, and the positive connections young Australians find on our platforms.”
Meta is expecting there may be some people over 16 who are mistakenly taken down but they are able to verify their age using a government ID.
And any user changing their age from under 16 to over 16 must also verify their age.
Meta has commissioned the Age Assurance Technology Trial and acknowledges the system won’t be perfect with the likelihood of “natural era margins”.
Meta says it’s expecting the margin of error to be both above and below when attempting to estimate a user’s age.
The company has appealed to the government to consider a more consistent approach via App Store level age verification along with enhanced protection such as Teen accounts which remain available for 16 and 17 year olds.
“While we are working hard to remove all users who we understand to be under the age of 16 by 10 December, compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process,” says Antigone Davis, vice president and global head of safety, Meta.
“Though we are committed to compliance, we must also acknowledge the findings of the Age Assurance Technology Trial, which recognises the particular challenges of age assurance at the novel 16 age boundary.
“We believe a better approach is required: a standard, more accurate, and privacy-preserving system, such as OS/app store-level age verification.
“This, combined with our investments in ongoing efforts to assure age and verify that signal and age-appropriate experiences like Teen Accounts, offers a more comprehensive protection for young people online.”
