Key Points
- Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat will comply with Australia’s new social media ban for users under 16.
- The law takes effect on December 10, and companies will begin deactivating underage accounts.
- They will use automated, behavior-tracking software to identify users who are lying about their age.
- The companies will notify over a million underage users about the upcoming change.
Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat have all said they will comply with a new Australian law that bans anyone under 16 from using their platforms. The companies, which had previously fought against the ban, told the Australian parliament on Tuesday that they will begin deactivating the accounts of underage users when the law takes effect on December 10.
This is a major shift for the social media giants. They had argued that the ban wouldn’t actually protect young people and would be too difficult to implement. But with the threat of a massive A$49.5 million fine looming, they have now changed their tune.
“We don’t agree, but we accept and we will abide by the law,” said a senior executive from Snap.
The companies are now preparing to notify the owners of over a million underage accounts about the upcoming change. Meta said it will give its roughly 450,000 underage users the option to either delete their data or have it stored until they turn 16. TikTok and Snap said they would take similar steps.
One of the biggest challenges will be identifying who is actually underage. The companies said they will use automated, behavior-tracking software to try to spot users who are lying about their age. If someone claims to be 25 but their behavior suggests they are under 16, their account will be deactivated.
