As Australia’s upcoming social media ban for users under 16 nears enforcement, Meta has started informing teenage Facebook and Instagram users about what will happen to their accounts.
Once the ban takes effect on December 10, Meta will begin revoking access for teens under the legal age. She will also block anyone under 16 from creating a new account starting December 4. Teenagers will regain access to their existing profiles only after they turn 16, and their accounts will remain intact and unchanged until then.
The biggest challenge for Meta is determining who is actually under 16, as many users enter false birth dates when signing up. Reliable digital age verification remains a complex problem, especially when safety, privacy, and accuracy are all critical. Identity verification systems are prime targets for cyberattacks, and even a minor vulnerability could expose sensitive personal information and government documents.
Concerns around these systems are not theoretical. In 2023, an investigation by 404 Media revealed that AU10TIX, an identity verification provider used by TikTok, Uber, and X, had accidentally left administrative login credentials exposed online for more than a year, potentially putting users’ private data at risk.
