Australia’s social media ID law reshapes the internet

Digital purge: Meta deletes 550,000 accounts as Australia’s social media ID law reshapes the internet

Jacob Thomas

• Australia's draconian social media ban for users under 16 forced Meta to delete 550,000 accounts (330K Instagram, 173K Facebook, 40K Threads) within weeks.
• Platforms face fines if they fail to enforce age verification, pushing companies like Meta to err on the side of mass deletions rather than risk penalties
• Canberra government justifies the ban as protecting youth from online harms, yet no evidence suggests banning social media improves mental health – while isolation, lost support networks and migration to unmoderated spaces (as even Meta admits) may worsen outcomes.
• The law mandates ID or biometric verification to participate in mainstream platforms, eroding online anonymity—a core pillar of free speech. Algorithmic age-inference tools (analyzing photos/behavior) and government-linked digital IDs are now normalized, paving the way for social credit systems.
• Australia's law is not an isolated case but a test run for worldwide adoption. The speed of enforcement (550K accounts deleted in weeks) proves how easily governments can reshape behavior overnight when paired with corporate compliance. Resistance is growing (e.g., Reddit's lawsuit), but the framework for total digital control – where dissent is erased under "safety" pretexts – is now in place.

Australia's bold experiment in online regulation has moved from theory to reality with a staggering, immediate impact. In the wake of the nation's groundbreaking social media age verification law taking effect, tech giant Meta has revealed a massive purge, deleting nearly 550,000 accounts it says may have belonged to users under 16.

The deletions represent one of the most tangible consequences of the law that went into force on Dec. 10, 2025. The legislation requires ten major platforms – including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Twitch – to verify users' ages using government-issued ID or face penalties of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($33 million).

Meta's data provides a first look at the scale of the disruption: Approximately 330,000 Instagram profiles, 173,000 Facebook accounts and 40,000 on Threads were removed. The company framed the action as part of its compliance, but simultaneously voiced deep reservations about the new digital frontier.

"Ongoing compliance with the law will be a multi-layered process that we will continue to refine," Meta wrote, adding a critical caveat: "though our concerns about determining age online without an industry standard remain."

The policy, championed by the government as a necessary shield for youth mental health, effectively establishes a digital ID system for social media participation. 

Users who refuse to provide identification or biometric data lose access and their accounts, along with all associated photos, messages and stored information, are terminated.

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