Meta Deactivates 7,50,000 Australian Teen Accounts Amid Ban Enforcement
Meta has removed over 7,50,000 Instagram and Facebook accounts suspected to belong to users under 16 in Australia since December. The company is expanding AI-driven age checks as regulators scrutinise compliance with the country’s social media age restrictions and consider tougher penalties for violations.
Meta Platforms has announced that it has removed more than 750,000 accounts suspected of belonging to children under the age of 16 since Australia implemented its world-first social media age restriction. The tech major stated that enforcement actions will continue to expand as it faces mounting pressure from federal regulators scrutinizing compliance across major digital platforms. Mark Zuckerberg Announces New Meta AI Model and Vision for Personal Superintelligence.
Meta Removes Over 7,50,000 Teen Accounts in Australia
Between the rollout of the landmark legislation in December and June, the corporation deactivated 4.62,000 Instagram profiles and 2.94,000 Facebook accounts believed to be operated by underage users. As per a report by Reuters, these figures reflect a sharp increase from the 5,04,000 total removals reported by January. While Meta has consistently maintained opposition to the structure of the ban, leadership emphasized a commitment to meeting local statutory obligations as internet regulators weigh potential enforcement lawsuits against non-compliant technology firms. Mark Zuckerberg AI Vision: Meta Boss Publishes 6,500-Word Manifesto Outlining Path to Personal Superintelligence.
Regulatory Pressure and AI Enforcement Measures
The disclosure arrives ahead of a scheduled parliamentary inquiry where representatives from Meta, TikTok, Google, and Snap are expected to provide evidence regarding their platform safety mechanisms. Independent studies and government data indicate that a significant majority of underage users managed to access social media services during the initial months of the restriction, prompting Canberra to propose legislation doubling maximum non-compliance penalties to nearly USD 70 million (AUD 99 million). In response, Meta is utilizing automated artificial intelligence tools to scan user profiles for contextual clues such as birthday mentions and school grade references, alongside implementing stricter blocks on repeated account creation attempts.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 13, 2026 06:38 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
