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Meta is preparing to shut down accounts of Australian teenagers under 16 as part of a new social media regulation. The company has begun informing affected users about account revocations starting December 10. Existing accounts will be deleted, while new registrations by minors will be blocked from December 4. Age verification remains a challenge due to potential inaccuracies in user self-reporting. The process highlights security risks in digital identity checks, which are critical for compliance with the law.

Key facts

  • Meta will revoke access to Facebook and Instagram accounts for Australian teens under 16 starting December 10.
  • Users under 16 will be prevented from creating new accounts from December 4, with existing accounts deleted upon the ban’s implementation.
  • Age verification poses significant challenges due to the difficulty of ensuring accurate user self-disclosure.
  • Identity verification services face security risks, as demonstrated by past data breaches exposing sensitive user information.
  • AU10TIX, a major identity verification platform, had its credentials exposed online for over a year, compromising user data.
See article on TechCrunch