Attention Young Australians: Safeguard Your Data Now Before Social Media Changes Happen!

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Meta, the tech giant behind Facebook and Instagram, is notifying thousands of young Australians. Starting December 4, accounts for kids under 16 will be blocked as part of a new law. This makes Australia the first country to set such a ban.

About two weeks ago, the Australian government announced that platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube must exclude users younger than 16 by December 10. To prepare, Meta is sending messages to affected teens, reminding them to download their digital memories before losing access. They can also update their contact info to get help once they turn 16.

Currently, there are around 350,000 Australians aged 13 to 15 on Instagram and about 150,000 on Facebook. Australia’s population is about 28 million, showing how significant this age group is in the social media landscape.

If older users mistakenly receive age restriction warnings, they can verify their age through a service called Yoti, using ID or a video selfie. Terry Flew, a professor at Sydney University, pointed out that face recognition technology has a failure rate of at least 5%. He emphasizes the need for better age verification methods.

The government has indicated that asking every user to prove their age would be unreasonable. They believe that the platforms already have enough data to determine users’ ages without excessive verification.

Failure to comply with these rules could result in hefty fines—up to 50 million Australian dollars (around $32 million). Meta’s global head of safety, Antigone Davis, has suggested that app stores like Apple and Google should collect age information during user sign-up. This way, the platforms can rely on accurate age verification when users want to access their services.

Dany Elachi, founder of Heaps Up Alliance, a group advocating for the age restriction, believes parents should help kids find new activities outside of social media. While he has some concerns about the legislation, he supports the idea that kids under 16 might benefit from more real-world interaction.

This shift raises questions about how children will adapt. With many spending hours online, finding new hobbies and interests could help them thrive without social media. As this new rule takes effect, we can expect a mix of reactions from families and teens across Australia.



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