Meta, TikTok, and Snap warn Australia’s under-16 social media ban could backfire but agree to comply

Meta

​​Big tech companies like Meta, TikTok, and Snap have said they’ll follow Australia’s new law banning children under 16 from using social media but they’re not happy about it. The law, which kicks in on December 10, will require these platforms to remove underage users or face huge fines.

Under the new rules, social media companies must take “reasonable steps” to stop kids under 16 from having accounts. If they fail, they could be fined up to A$49.5 million (around ₹270 crore).

Despite agreeing to comply, all three companies say the ban isn’t the best solution. They argue it could actually push kids toward unsafe or unregulated corners of the internet instead of keeping them safe.

Snap’s global policy head Jennifer Stout said, “We don’t agree, but we accept and will abide by the law.” TikTok’s public policy lead in Australia, Ella Woods-Joyce, added that they’re “on track to meet compliance.”

Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said it will contact about 450,000 under-16 users in Australia and give them two options — delete their data or store it until they turn 16. TikTok estimates around 200,000 underage users in the country, while Snap says it has about 440,000.

The companies plan to use AI and other detection tools to find accounts that pretend to belong to older users but show signs of being run by kids. Snap also said it’s working on a system to let users appeal if their accounts are wrongly flagged.

The Australian government says the law aims to protect young people from harmful online content, cyberbullying, and mental health issues linked to excessive social media use. Advocates have also pointed out that some cancer patients and children in isolation depend on online communities for support — and they hope these vulnerable groups won’t be cut off completely.

Australia’s move is being closely watched around the world as a possible model for tighter age-based social media regulations. For now, tech giants say they’ll follow the rules — even if they think it’s the wrong way to help kids stay safe online.