Despite Ban, Many Australian teens under 16 continue using social media

A significant number of Australian teenagers under the age of 16 continued using social media platforms even two months after the country introduced a ban restricting access for minors, according to new industry data, raising concerns about the effectiveness of age-verification systems.

A report by parental control software company Qustodio revealed that more than one-fifth of teenagers aged 13 to 15 were still active on popular platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat between December and February, despite the restrictions.

The findings provide some of the earliest insights into how young users’ online behaviour has changed since Australia implemented the social media ban in December. The policy has drawn global attention, with several governments considering similar measures to protect minors online.

According to the report, the number of teenagers aged 13–15 using Snapchat dropped by 13.8 percentage points from November to February, bringing the total to about 20.3%. Usage of TikTok among the same age group also declined by 5.7 percentage points, falling to 21.2%.

Meanwhile, usage of YouTube among teenagers dipped slightly by one percentage point to 36.9%, although the data did not confirm whether these users were logged into accounts. The Australian law still allows people of all ages to access YouTube without logging in.

Under the new regulations, major platforms including Meta’s Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, along with TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube, must block users under the age of 16 or face fines of up to A$49.5 million (about $35 million).

A spokesperson for Australia’s internet regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, said authorities were aware that some minors were still able to access social media and were actively working with platforms and age-verification providers to monitor compliance and address potential violations of the law.

The office said it was reviewing multiple data sources and insights to assess whether companies are properly enforcing the restrictions.

A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells acknowledged that raising the minimum age for social media access represents a cultural shift that will take time to fully implement.

The data also suggested that social media use among teenagers typically declines during December and January due to Australia’s long summer school holidays. However, the sharper drop compared to the previous year indicates the ban may have had some effect.

Despite earlier concerns, the report found little evidence that teenagers were shifting to unregulated platforms. However, usage of WhatsApp among 13- to 15-year-olds showed a slight increase during the same period