The majority of young Australians continue to use social media despite restrictions

Implementation Problems of the Social Media Access Ban for Children Under 16

*The survey showed that most young men and women still use platforms despite the new law.*

What the study says
- Sample size: more than 1,000 Australian children and adolescents.

- Age of participants: 12‑15 years (only those who already had accounts before the law took effect).

- Key finding: about 61 % of teenagers retained access to one or more social networks after the ban was introduced.
Platforms were unable to effectively limit their presence.

What the new law requires
- Major networks must take “reasonable steps” – age verification, identity confirmation, facial recognition.

- Non‑compliance can result in a fine of up to £26 million.

How children bypass restrictions
Platform % of children who did not feel blocked % using false identities
YouTube 60 % (approx.) — Snapchat 60 % — Instagram 60 % — TikTok 53 %
- 53 % of TikTok users, 53 % on YouTube and Facebook, 52 % on Instagram, and 47 % on Snapchat were able to continue using the services after the December 2025 ban.

- Most teens did not encounter blocking attempts – platforms simply did not recognize them and did not delete their accounts.

Effectiveness assessment
The charitable organization Molly Rose Foundation (which conducted the study) stated that the results “raise serious questions” about how useful the ban is.

- The organization notes that the law gives parents a “false sense of security,” while tech companies take on less responsibility.

Early signs of change
- 50 % of children who previously used banned social networks reported reduced online time.

- 37 % say their activity did not change.

- About half of those who lost access to all apps noted positive effects on:

- mental health and overall well‑being,

- academic performance,

- sleep quality.

Thus, although the law required social networks to take measures to restrict access for children under 16, actual compliance proved weak. Nevertheless, some children already feel they spend less time online and report improvements in their personal lives.