Australia Teen Social Media Ban Has Little Impact: Research
Researchers surveyed more than 400 users and found only slight changes in teen use, suggesting limited compliance after the new rules took effect.
- A University of Newcastle, Australia study reveals that four out of five Australian young people still access social media after the under-16 ban took effect, with research suggesting "insufficient evidence of any substantive early effects" of the legislation.
- Australia introduced a blanket ban on social media for under-16s in December 2025, prompting the United Kingdom to pursue similar restrictions by spring 2027 following an announcement by Sir Keir Starmer earlier this month.
- Researchers surveyed more than 400 teens immediately before and three months after restrictions took effect, finding 85 per cent of those under 16 continued using restricted platforms amid "limited implementation, incomplete compliance, and substantial circumvention."
- Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, warned the ban fails to address "fundamental product safety issues" such as harmful content pushed through personalized algorithms to teenagers.
- Technology Secretary Liz Kendall acknowledged the ban is not a "complete silver bullet," saying it aims to provide clarity for parents; researchers suggest future government actions must prioritize education mechanisms to encourage compliance and wellbeing.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Since December, Australian teenagers no longer have the right to social networks. An initial assessment of this measure estimates that their browsing habits have in fact changed little.The ban on social networks for children under the age of 16 in Australia has had little impact on the browsing habits of adolescents, researchers said on Thursday in one of the first evaluations.The country introduced the measure in December.In addition to the ban…
Australia was the first country to introduce a social media ban for under-16s. Now there is one of the first studies on the effects. Thus, usage behavior has hardly changed. Restrictions are simply avoided.
The ban on social networks for children under 16 years of age in Australia has had little impact on the browsing habits of adolescents, said researchers on Thursday in one of the first evaluations of these pioneering measures worldwide.
The Independent
The Independent (US)Four out of five Australian children still use social media despite ban, study finds
Early evidence from Australia suggests 80 per cent of young people are still accessing social media despite the country’s blanket ban
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