Meta to Close Teen Accounts in Australia Amidst Social Media Ban

Meta has commenced notifying teenage users in Australia that it will shut down their Facebook and Instagram accounts as the country’s social media ban for those under 16 approaches.

With the ban slated to take effect on December 10th, Meta will revoke access to existing accounts for teens. Starting December 4th, the platform also prevented users under 16 from creating new accounts. Users will regain access to their accounts once they turn 16, exactly as they left them.

Challenges in Age Verification

Determining which users are under 16 presents a significant challenge for Meta. People don’t always provide accurate age information when signing up for social media platforms. Digital age checks are notoriously difficult to execute safely and effectively. Identity verification services become high-profile targets for hacking attempts, and even minor security vulnerabilities can have severe implications due to the potential exposure of personal information and government documents.

Security Risks of Identity Verification

Identity verification platforms have posed security problems for users in the past. Last year, 404 Media discovered that AU10TIX, a company that verifies identities for TikTok, Uber, and X, had left administrative credentials exposed online for more than a year. This exposure allowed unauthorized access to users’ sensitive information.