Meta and TikTok have confirmed they will comply with Australia’s new law prohibiting users under 16 from accessing social media platforms, though both warned that enforcing the measure will be highly complex.
Beginning December 10, major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and potentially YouTube, WhatsApp, and Roblox, will be required to delete accounts belonging to users below 16. Companies that fail to meet compliance standards could face fines of up to $32 million.
TikTok’s Australia policy head, Ella Woods-Joyce, told a Senate hearing that while the platform intends to obey the law, experts fear it could drive young users toward less regulated online spaces where safety protections are weaker.
Meta’s policy director, Mia Garlick, said the company plans to remove hundreds of thousands of underage accounts before the deadline. However, she admitted that accurately determining users’ ages remains a major technical challenge, with Meta still refining its compliance and detection systems.
Under the new legislation, platforms are not obligated to verify every user’s age but must take “reasonable steps” to identify and remove underage users. Industry leaders describe the law as one of the toughest globally, while critics argue it is poorly defined and hastily implemented.
YouTube’s spokesperson, Rachel Lord, expressed similar concerns, calling the policy well-intentioned but flawed in execution, warning that it may fail to achieve its goal of making young people safer online.
Australia’s online safety regulator has hinted that the ban could also extend to other platforms, such as Twitch and Roblox, though final details have not been confirmed. With the law set to take effect in less than six weeks, uncertainty still surrounds how it will be enforced and monitored.
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