Meta Claims to Have Deleted 756,000 Australian Teen Accounts as Prohibition Enforcement Approaches

Meta (META.O), the owner of Facebook and Instagram, announced on Thursday that it has removed over 750,000 accounts that it believed were owned by Australians under the age of 16 since a world-first ban on juvenile accounts. It also pledged to take more action in response to potential regulatory intervention.

From shortly before the Australian social media ban went into effect in December to June, the business claimed to have deactivated 462,000 suspicious Instagram accounts and 294,000 suspicious Facebook profiles, up from 331,000 Instagram accounts and 173,000 Facebook accounts by January.

As Australia’s internet regulator considers an enforcement lawsuit against platforms, including some that Meta owns, that it claims have failed to take adequate steps to comply with the law, the largest social media company in the world has stated that it wants to comply with a law that it and other platforms have vehemently opposed.

Over eight out of ten under-16s were still using social media during the first three months of the ban, according to Australian government statistics and several independent studies, but no other platforms have revealed compliance data that corresponds with the time frame provided by Meta.

Concerns over social media’s effects on children’s and young teenagers’ physical and emotional health led the Australian government to draft the historic bill, which went into effect on December 10.

Australia has introduced a law to double the maximum penalty for non-compliance to A$99 million ($69.75 million) and give the regulator more document discovery powers, while other nations around the world are considering similar age restrictions. Australia has accused the platforms of purposefully setting up the ban to fail.

On Friday, representatives from Meta, TikTok, YouTube owner Google (GOOGL.O), opens new tab, and Snap’s Snapchat (SNAP.N) will testify in a parliamentary hearing regarding the changes, together with government and regulatory representatives.

According to a statement from Meta, “Enforcement is ongoing, and these numbers will continue to grow.” We are fulfilling our legal responsibilities and share the Australian Government’s objective of ensuring youth have safe, age-appropriate online experiences,” the company added.