Australia: Meta Claims Ban on Under-16s Drives Youth to 'Less Regulated' Platforms

Australia: Meta has warned that the ban on social media for those under 16 is pushing young people towards less regulated, and thus less safe, platforms.

"We have consistently expressed our concerns that this poorly designed law could drive teenagers to less regulated platforms or apps. We are now seeing these concerns become a reality," the company stated in a press release.

The apps Lemon8 and yope, which are not currently affected by the ban, have surged in download rankings in Australia.

According to Meta, many apps do not offer the same safety features as theirs, such as dedicated accounts for teenagers.

"We will comply with our legal obligations, but we remain concerned that this law will undermine the safety of teenagers," Meta stated.