Australian teenagers have been given a two-week countdown to download or delete their data as social media giant Meta warns it'll start shutting down accounts early.
The company has also acknowledged it expects problems with the age-verification technology it's using, which could lead to people who are actually 16 having their accounts shut down.
The world-first social media restrictions for users under 16 are set to come into effect on 10 December.
However, as of Thursday, Meta has confirmed that users aged 13 to 15 will receive in-app messages or texts advising them that their accounts will be removed as early as 4 December.
The alerts have started appearing for children on Facebook, Instagram and Threads.
Teenagers can choose to download their data or conversations, but content will be "as they left it" when access to the platforms is restored upon turning 16.
"While we are working hard to remove all users who we understand to be under the age of 16 by 10 December, compliance with the law will be an ongoing and multi-layered process," Meta vice president and global head of safety Antigone Davis said in a statement.
YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and live-streaming platform Kick are also included in the ban, while popular gaming platform Roblox remains exempt for now.
The platforms have been forced to take reasonable steps to prevent young users from holding accounts or risk fines of up to $50 million.
Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters last week that the new laws will have significant mental health outcomes, acknowledging they weren't a "cure" but "a treatment plan".
"It will give children their childhood back and parents peace of mind," she said.
What to do if you 'mistakenly lose access'?
Meta's regional policy director Mia Garlick admits that some teenagers may "mistakenly lose access" during the shift.
She said users who have incorrectly received the notification can appeal the process.
"You'll be able to appeal and prove your age either by uploading a video selfie or providing government-issued ID," she said.
Despite the warning, a government report in August found "age assurance technology" can be implemented "efficiently and effectively".
It did acknowledge that age-verification technology has a margin of error, but it was minor.
Experts have expressed concern that age-verification technology is a "pretty significant shift toward surveillance".
Hassan Asghar, a computer science lecturer at Macquarie University, argues that company monitoring puts users at "risk of identity theft".
"Age inference works by watching what we do online over long periods to guess our age — essentially encouraging tech companies to constantly monitor our digital behaviour."
— With additional reporting by the Australian Associated Press.
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