- eSafety has reported a modest early decline in account ownership among children under 16, with the proportion of children holding at least one account on an age-restricted platform falling from 52.4% before implementation to 42.1% three months later.
- Despite the decline, many children who previously held accounts retained them or created new ones, with 50.2% stating that platforms had not asked them to confirm their age.
- Australia's under-16 social media ban is failing, as a new study shows that more than eight in 10 young Australian teens and preteens continue to use social media platforms despite the prohibition.
- The report found that most children aged 10 to 15 were using social media just as frequently in March as they had been before the ban, with around 58% of teenagers reporting daily use.
- The ban on social media for children under 16 was implemented on December 10, 2025, making Australia the world’s first country to enforce such a prohibition.
- The government introduced this ban due to increasing concerns about the effects of cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, and self-harm content on children's mental health.
- Under the law, social media platforms face $33 million in fines if they fail to take reasonable steps to block users younger than 16.
A new study by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner indicates that the country’s ban on social media for children under 16 is not fully effective. The study, part of a two-year longitudinal evaluation, surveyed 4,121 children and their parents, revealing a decline in account ownership from 52.4% to 42.1% three months after the ban's implementation on December 10, 2025.12
Despite this decline, many children continue to access social media. 50.2% of those who retained their accounts reported that platforms did not verify their age, allowing them to circumvent the ban. Joanna Orlando, a researcher in digital wellbeing, noted that tech-savvy teens often use VPNs or migrate to less regulated platforms.34
The report also highlighted that around 58% of teenagers reported using social media daily, a slight decrease from 60% before the ban. Interestingly, the proportion of children feeling that peers without social media were missing out fell from 43.3% to 36.3%, indicating a shift in social dynamics.
The Australian government implemented this ban to address rising concerns about cyberbullying and mental health issues among youth. Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells stated, “We stared down everybody who said it couldn’t be done,” emphasizing the importance of the law despite its challenges in enforcement.9
As of January 16, social media companies had revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children in Australia, but the ongoing challenge remains in ensuring compliance and effective age verification measures.
“eSafety’s three-month follow-up found account ownership on age-restricted platforms fell from 52.4% to 42.1%, while 50.2% of children who kept accounts said platforms never asked their age. Social media companies had revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts by mid-January, officials said; Reddit’s High Court challenge and ‘reasonable steps’ scrutiny leave the ban’s effectiveness unresolved.”
Digital Watch Observatory
