Meta to Enforce Age Ban, Removing Under-16s from Instagram and Facebook in Australia

Meta will begin removing Australian children under the age of 16 from its platforms, Instagram and Facebook. The company will start closing their accounts next week. This action enforces a new official ban on younger users. The ban requires social media companies to obtain parental consent for users under 16. Meta stated it will use a combination of user-provided ages and artificial intelligence to find accounts that may belong to minors. The company did not specify how many accounts it expects to close. Australian authorities implemented the rule to better protect children's privacy and safety online. Other platforms must also comply with the new regulations.