Meta Platforms issued an update a month after Australia’s under-16 social media ban went into effect, stating it removed nearly 550,000 accounts across various apps to comply with the new law.

In a post, the company stated it closed 330,639 Instagram, 173,497 Facebook and 39,916 Threads accounts between 4 December and 11 December 2025.

The country’s Social Media Minimum Age Act came into force on 10 December 2025 and requires platforms to take measure keep under-16s off their platforms or face penalties of up to AUD49.5 million ($33.2 million).

Meta Platforms also highlighted some of the initial impacts of the law, which it claims suggest the legislation is not meeting its objectives of increasing the safety and wellbeing of young Australians.

It stated “a number of concerns have been raised” by experts, youth groups and many parents since the ban began regarding impacts on vulnerable teens from getting support from online communities, driving teens to less regulated apps and parts of the internet, and inconsistent age verification methods.

Meta Platforms explained it “believes legislation should require app stores to verify age and obtain parental approval before their teens under 16 can download an app”.

It argued this would be the only way to guarantee consistent, industry-wide protections for young people and avoid “the whack-a-mole effect of catching up with new apps that teens will migrate to”.

The company called on the Australian government to work with the industry “to find a better way forward”, instead of blanket bans.