Meta Tells Australian Teens About Closing Their Facebook And Instagram Accounts

Meta commemorates closing teenage accounts in Australia (photo: dock. unsplash)

JAKARTA In accordance with Australia's latest rules, Meta will ban children under 16 from using Facebook and Instagram. This ban will take effect from December 10.

Ahead of the implementation of this rule, Meta began to notify teenagers about the closure of their accounts. All teens will lose access to their Facebook and Instagram accounts on December 4.

Although it can no longer be accessed by its owners, Meta will not delete these accounts. Users can re-access their accounts after they reach the age of 16. Meta also stated that the contents of the account will remain the same as when they were last abandoned.

While implementing this new rule, Meta will face major challenges in ensuring the age of its users. The reason is, not a few children under the age of 18 fake their age in order to avoid some rules.

To prevent fraud at this age, Meta needs to strengthen its age verification tools. They also need to develop the ability to identify the user's habits. That way, the system can recognize that the account owner is still a minor.

Unfortunately, identity verification services are often targeted for hacking. The security of this tool is more vulnerable, even to very small problems. If the data is exposed, the user's personal information can be leaked to the public.

This happened last year, as 404 Media reported when it discovered problems in AU10TIX, an identity verification company. The company's administrative credentials, which verify users on platforms like TikTok and X, have been exposed for more than a year.