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META, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, and video-sharing platform TikTok have confirmed they will comply with Australia’s landmark law requiring the removal of users under the age of 16, but both warned that enforcing the ban would be complex.
AFP cited on Tuesday that the legislation, which comes into effect on 10 December, obliges platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to take “reasonable steps” to detect and deactivate underage accounts. Companies failing to comply face fines of up to Aus$49.5 million (US$32 million).
“Put simply, TikTok will comply with the law and meet our legislative obligations,” said TikTok Australia policy lead Ella Woods-Joyce during a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
She cautioned, however, that the “blunt” age ban could drive younger users to less secure corners of the internet. “Experts believe a ban will push younger people into darker corners of the Internet where protections don't exist,” she added.
Meta policy director Mia Garlick acknowledged the firm was tackling “numerous challenges” to remove hundreds of thousands of users under 16 by the December deadline.
“Identifying and removing those accounts still poses significant new engineering and age assurance challenges,” she said. “The goal from our perspective, being compliance with the law, would be to remove those under 16.”
Australia’s online watchdog has indicated that other platforms, including WhatsApp, Twitch and Roblox, may also fall under the law.
The legislation, described by some industry figures as “vague”, “problematic”, and “rushed”, aims to curb the risks of social media for minors but leaves key questions on enforcement unresolved.
YouTube Australia echoed these concerns, with local spokeswoman Rachel Lord stating: “The legislation will not only be extremely difficult to enforce, it also does not fulfil its promise of making kids safer online.” - October 28, 2025
