Meta Platforms(US:META) Xin Hua She·2026-01-13 07:39Group 1 - Meta has banned over 544,000 accounts in response to Australia's social media ban for users under 16 years old [1] - The accounts removed include approximately 331,000 from Instagram, 173,000 from Facebook, and 40,000 from Threads during the week of December 4 to December 11 [1] - Despite these actions, many accounts of users under 16 may not have been banned or were reactivated, and age verification can be easily bypassed [3] Group 2 - The Australian government has stated it will hold social media platforms accountable for harm caused to youth, emphasizing the need for compliance with local laws [3] - The Australian Federal Parliament passed the Cyber Security (Minimum Age for Social Media) Amendment in November 2024, requiring platforms to take reasonable measures to prevent under-16s from having accounts [4] - The ban will take effect on December 10, 2025, with non-compliant companies facing fines up to AUD 49.5 million (approximately CNY 23.2 million) [4]