Social media giant Meta has begun giving hundreds of thousands of Australian teens a two-week warning to "download or delete" their data from Instagram, Facebook and Threads, as the world-first ban looms.

The law preventing under 16s from holding accounts does not take effect until December 10, but the company will start purging accounts from December 4, as well as blocking under 16s from opening new ones.

Meta is racing to remove at least 350,000 users from Instagram and 150,000 from Facebook by the deadline, with more expected to follow.

Today, the company began delivering the news to teens via email, SMS and within the app that they have 14 days left on the platform, "due to laws in Australia".

Messenger is the only Meta platform not currently covered by the ban.

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