In Australia, where social media use by minors is banned, 6 out of 10 people continue to use social media.
In Australia,
Most Australian children are ignoring social media ban
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/04/13/australian-children-ignoring-social-media-ban-under16s/
Australia's teen social media ban is a flop. But there's no joy in 'I told you so' | Samantha Floreani | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/apr/01/australia-teen-social-media-ban-criticism
In Australia, under the Anthony Albanese administration, the 'Online Safety Amendment Act 2024 (Social Media Minimum Age Act),' also known as the 'Social Media Ban Act for Those Under 16,' was passed in November 2024 with the aim of 'protecting children.' It came into effect in December 2025.
Australia launches world's first 'SNS ban for those under 16,' targeting TikTok, X, Instagram, YouTube, and others - GIGAZINE
The law requires platforms to prevent users from using their services until they turn 16, and it has been reported that 4.7 million accounts were suspended within a month of its implementation.
Australia's
However, a survey of 1,050 children revealed that approximately 61% of 12- to 15 year old users who had accounts on restricted platforms still had access to at least one platform.
Less than 10% of respondents said they used a fake identity to bypass age verification when accessing the site; most cited the lack of strict enforcement by companies against closing accounts of users under 16. Many platforms failed to identify and delete accounts belonging to users under 16, meaning the children didn't even need to use any workarounds. 25% of children said they had already passed age verification with an existing account.
The Molly Rose Foundation , the charity that conducted the study, says it raises questions about the effectiveness of a similar 'social media ban for those under 16' that the UK's Keir Starmer government is trying to implement.
Furthermore, even after the law came into effect, the percentage of users under 16 who could access the platform was 53% for TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook, 52% for Instagram, and 47% for Snapchat.
The British newspaper The Guardian has taken a critical view of Australia's 'SNS ban for those under 16,' stating, 'Bold regulatory intervention is necessary to counter the power of Big Tech and to seriously consider the harm it does to children. However, the SNS ban was doomed to fail from the start. The only remaining question is whether the Australian government has the humility to admit its mistakes and the courage to consider and try alternative methods.'
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