US Edition
Australian children still use social media despite under-16 ban: Survey
A survey of 898 parents found 31.3% of children still had accounts, while regulators said platforms used weak age checks and circumvention was common.
- A poll of 1,050 Australian children aged 12 to 15 found that 61 per cent still access restricted social media platforms despite the under-16 ban introduced in December. The survey was conducted by the Molly Rose Foundation and YouthInsight.
- Investigations into five major platforms revealed systemic failures, with children using VPNs, fake IDs, and parental help to bypass age checks under the Online Safety Amendment.
- Despite the removal of five million under-16 accounts, major platforms retained a majority of child users: 53 per cent of previous TikTok and YouTube users and 52 per cent of Instagram users still access accounts.
- Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, said the results "raise major questions about the effectiveness" of the ban, advocating instead for strengthening the Online Safety Act.
- The government is consulting on whether to implement the ban or introduce alternative measures such as curfews and time limits, while experts urge giving Australia more time to assess feasibility.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Australia becomes first country to ban social media use for under-16s
Is Australian Social Media Age-Gating Working?
Just over three months ago, Australia’s world-leading regulations attempting to ban social media use by under-16s came into force. The relevant regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, has released its first compliance report on the effectiveness of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024. The report makes interesting reading, given the number of countries apparently considering whether to emulate the Australian endeavors. So…
More than 60 per cent of minors in Australia continue to use social media despite a ban that came into force four months ago, according to new research. In the first large study after the measure was implemented, it was found that children aged 12 to 15 still have access to certain platforms. Three out of five minors who had accounts on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube before December, still have access to at least one of them. Sp…
"A significant proportion of children under 16 have retained accounts, are creating new ones, or are finding ways to circumvent age verification systems."
The ban on social networks for minors in Australia was presented as a global model. Four months after its entry into force, the first review of the regulator showers hopes. The ban on social networks for minors shows results far below expectations Australia was the first country in the world to ban social networks for children under 16 years of age. The law came into force on 10 December 2025. Non-compliant platforms are subject to fines of up t…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 67% of the sources lean Right
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
