Meta blocked nearly 550,000 accounts in first days of Australia’s under-16s social media ban

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 1 min read 100% complete by Josh Taylor Technology reporterJanuary 11, 2026 at 11:31 PM

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Meta deactivated over 544,000 accounts believed to belong to users under 16 on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads between December 4th and December 11th. This action was in response to Australia's new ban on social media access for individuals under 16, which went into effect just over a month prior. Meta stated that ongoing compliance with the ban will be a complex, multi-layered process. The announcement comes as the UK Labour party faces increasing pressure to implement a similar ban for teenagers in the United Kingdom. The deactivation of these accounts represents Meta's initial efforts to adhere to the new Australian regulations.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

UK 40% Labour Party (UK) 50% Threads 60% Instagram 70% Facebook 70% Australia ×280% Meta ×490%

Keywords

social media ban 100% under-16s 90% account deactivation 80% meta 70% australia 60% facebook 60% instagram 60% teenagers 50% threads 50% compliance 40%