Meta Blocks 550,000 Accounts in Australia's First Week of Social Media Crackdown

Meta has blocked more than 550,000 accounts in Australia. The action is the first major result of a strict new social media law. The law, which started in December, gives Australian officials the power to order internet companies to remove material. The goal is to protect children from serious online harm. Australia's eSafety Commissioner issued its first formal removal notices to Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram. The notices targeted accounts sharing child sexual abuse material. Meta confirmed it blocked the accounts within one week of receiving the notices. The company said it used the commissioner's information to find and remove identical content globally. The law allows fines of nearly $700,000 per day for companies that do not comply. Officials say this shows the new rules are working as intended to make platforms safer for young users.