Meta has deleted over 544,000 accounts from Facebook, Instagram, and Threads for users under 16 years old.

Meta has deactivated 544,052 social media accounts, including 330,639 on Instagram, 173,497 on Facebook, and 39,916 on Threads, to comply with a new Australian law that prohibits social media accounts for individuals under 16 years old. The law, which came into effect on December 10, requires major platforms like Meta, TikTok, and YouTube to no longer allow accounts for users under this age.

Meta stated that it is committed to complying with the law but expressed concern about the lack of an industry standard for determining age online. The company has urged the Australian government to collaborate with the industry to find more effective solutions, such as age verification when downloading apps. The ban has been praised by supporters and has inspired other countries, such as Germany, to consider similar measures. The Australian government is expected to publish data on the number of minors excluded from the affected platforms.