Meta Platforms has begun issuing formal notifications to Australian users it believes are under the age of sixteen, advising that their Facebook, Instagram and Threads accounts will be deactivated by ten December as the company moves to comply with Australia’s new minimum-age law.

Affected teenagers are receiving fourteen days’ notice through in-app alerts, email and SMS before access is removed.

Beginning four December, Meta will block new registrations by under-sixteens and start cutting off access to existing accounts in the lead-up to the nationwide deadline.

Messenger is excluded from the ban, and Meta has introduced a technical solution allowing younger users to keep Messenger active without maintaining a linked Facebook account.

Teenagers scheduled for deactivation are being encouraged to download and save their posts, messages and Reels.

They may return to their accounts once they turn sixteen, with Meta stating that all content will remain intact.

Users may also choose to delete their accounts entirely.

Meta says it will notify all accounts it understands to belong to those under sixteen, but will not disclose the specific criteria used to determine age to prevent attempts to bypass the ban.

For users who are mistakenly flagged, Meta is offering age-verification tools including video-selfie checks and government ID verification facilitated through Yoti’s age-assurance technology.

The company acknowledges the possibility of errors but maintains that the current system is the least intrusive method available.

Meta’s measures come as Australia prepares to enforce sweeping restrictions across major platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, Reddit and Kick, with the early December rollout expected to be followed by further implementation steps across the industry.

Several companies have stated they will comply with the new rules, while some are still assessing their position.

Despite complying with the law, Meta continues to argue that its dedicated teen-account settings, which limit contact, reduce advertising exposure and expand parental oversight, would provide a more balanced approach than a full ban.

The company maintains that responsible use supported by robust tools could be more effective than removing teenagers entirely from mainstream platforms.