Meta has blocked approximately 550,000 accounts in Australia following the implementation of a new law banning social media access for individuals under 16 years old. This landmark legislation, which began in December, aims to protect children from harmful online content and algorithms.

• Meta blocked 330,639 accounts on Instagram, 173,497 accounts on Facebook, and 39,916 accounts on Threads in the first week of compliance.
• The Australian law is the world's strictest, as it does not allow exemptions for parental approval, unlike other global initiatives.
• Meta advocates for age verification at the app store level, suggesting it would create more consistent, industry-wide protections for young people.
• Some experts express concerns that Australian youth may easily circumvent the ban by finding other, potentially less safe, online platforms.