Meta urges Australia to rethink social media age ban
Meta, the company behind Instagram and Facebook, is asking Australia to reconsider its new rule that blocks anyone under 16 from having social media accounts.
Since December 2024, platforms like Meta, TikTok, and YouTube have had to shut down hundreds of thousands of young users' accounts—Meta alone has blocked over 544,000.
Why Meta isn't happy (and what they suggest)
Meta says this strict ban could actually push teens toward sketchier, less regulated apps instead of keeping them safe.
They're suggesting a team-up with the government and app stores to add better age checks and require parental consent for under-16s.
Meta has helped found the OpenAge Initiative with a tool called AgeKeys to help make age verification more reliable.
In their view, working together could protect teens online without completely locking them out of social media.