756,000 Instagram and Facebook accounts shut down in a single night

Meta Platforms Inc. has announced that hundreds of thousands of accounts have been shut down as part of the legal regulation in Australia that limits social media use for those under 16.

According to the company's statement, as a result of audits conducted since the law came into effect in December 2025 and prior to that, access to 462,000 Instagram and 294,000 Facebook accounts has been blocked. Thus, the total number of closed accounts has reached 756,000.

Meta stated that the audits are being carried out with AI-supported detection systems and that actions against accounts identified as belonging to those under 16 will continue. The company noted that the number of closed accounts is therefore expected to increase.

The regulation limiting access to social media platforms for those under 16 in Australia came into effect on December 10, 2025. The regulation covers platforms such as X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitch, Threads, and Kick.

The Australian government aims to reduce the negative impact of algorithms and harmful content on children and young people with this law. Fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars are stipulated for companies that do not comply with the rules.

News Source: 12punto