Meta has started removing Australian children under 16 years old from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. This action comes one week before Australia’s law banning under-16s from social media goes live on December 10. An estimated 150,000 Facebook and 350,000 Instagram accounts will be shut down. Threads access depends on Instagram, so it is also impacted. Meta announced this in November and began notifying teens aged 13 to 15 that their accounts would close from December 4. It said users could download and save their posts and messages before deactivation. If teens believe they are wrongly flagged as under 16, they can request a review by sending a "video selfie" or official ID like a driver’s license. The Australian government’s ban threatens fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$33 million) for companies not taking “reasonable steps” to block under-16s. Along with Meta’s platforms, YouTube, X, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Kick, and Twitch are also affected. Meta said it supports the law but wants better, privacy-friendly age verification. They suggested app stores should check users' ages and require parental approval for children under 16 to stop repeated age checks across apps. Communications Minister Anika Wells said the ban protects Generation Alpha from being trapped by “predatory algorithms” creating a “dopamine drip” in young users. She expects some problems at first but stands by the law’s goal to protect children. The government is watching smaller apps like Lemon8 and Yope for possible child migration. Lemon8 plans to block under-16s despite not being banned. Yope says it is a private messenger, not social media, and thus not covered. Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has contacted these apps for self-assessment. YouTube criticized the law as "rushed," warning it could make the platform less safe by banning children who use parental controls. The ban is the world’s first law of its kind and is being closely watched globally. A government study showed 96% of Australian kids aged 10-15 use social media; many face harmful content and cyberbullying, prompting this tough move.