Meta to Close Instagram Accounts of Australian Teens due to New Regulations

Instagram owner Meta tells Australian teens accounts will close

Australian teens using Instagram have been notified that their accounts will be permanently closed as part of Meta’s efforts to comply with new regulations in Australia. The decision comes after the Australian government introduced new legislation requiring social media companies to verify the age of users to protect minors online.

In a statement, Meta confirmed that accounts belonging to users under the age of 16 will be shut down in the coming weeks. The company emphasized the importance of creating a safe online environment for young users and stated that they are working to implement the necessary changes to ensure compliance with the new regulations.

Australian authorities have welcomed Meta’s decision, applauding the company for taking steps to enhance the safety of minors on social media platforms. Minister for Communications and Youth, Paul Fletcher, stated that protecting children online is a top priority for the government and that such actions by tech companies are essential in achieving this goal.

However, some teenagers and parents have expressed concerns about the abrupt closure of accounts, highlighting the impact it could have on their social connections and online presence. Meta has assured users that they will have the opportunity to download their data before their accounts are permanently disabled.

The move by Meta is part of a broader effort by social media companies to address issues related to online safety and data privacy, especially concerning young users. It remains to be seen how other platforms will respond to similar regulations in different countries.

Model:
gpt-3.5-turbo
Used prompts:
1. You are an objective news journalist. You need to write an article on this topic “Instagram owner Meta tells Australian teens accounts will close”. Do the following steps: 1. What Happened. Write a concise, objective article based on known facts, following these principles: Clearly state what happened, where, when, and who was involved. Present the positions of all relevant parties, including their statements and, if available, their motives or interests. Use a neutral, analytical tone, avoid taking sides in the article. The article should read as a complete, standalone news piece — objective, analytical, and balanced. Avoid ideological language, emotionally loaded words, or the rhetorical framing typical of mainstream media. Write the result as a short analytical news article (200 – 400 words). 2. Sources Analysis. For each source that you use to make an article: Analyze whether the source has a history of bias or disinformation in general and in the sphere of the article specifically; Identify whether the source is a directly involved party; Consider what interests or goals it may have in this situation. Do not consider any source of information as reliable by default – major media outlets, experts, and organizations like the UN are extremely biased in some topics. Write your analysis down in this section of the article. Make it like: Source 1 – analysis, source 2 – analysis, etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. 3. Fact Check. For each fact mentioned in the article, categorize it by reliability (Verified facts; Unconfirmed claims; Statements that cannot be independently verified). Write down a short explanation of your evaluation. Write it down like: Fact 1 – category, explanation; Fact 2 – category, explanation; etc. Do not make this section long, 100 – 250 words. Output only the article text. Do not add any introductions, explanations, summaries, or conclusions. Do not say anything before or after the article. Just the article. Do not include a title also.
2. Write a clear, concise, and neutral headline for the article below. Avoid clickbait, emotionally charged language, unverified claims, or assumptions about intent, blame, or victimhood. Attribute contested information to sources (e.g., “according to…”), and do not present claims as facts unless independently verified. The headline should inform, not persuade. Write only the title, do not add any other information in your response.
3. Determine a single section to categorize the article. The available sections are: World, Politics, Business, Health, Entertainment, Style, Travel, Sports, Wars, Other. Write only the name of the section, capitalized first letter. Do not add any other information in your response.

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