Impact of Australia’s Social Media Ban for Under-16s

June 26, 2026

Australia’s world-first social media age restrictions for users under 16 have had only a limited early impact on adolescent social media use.

Researchers found that more than 85 per cent of under-16 users continued to access restricted platforms. Many adolescents used their own accounts, while others relied on alternative or shared accounts to bypass restrictions.

The UON-led study tracked 408 adolescents aged 12 to 17 before and three months after the introduction of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024. The law came into effect in December 2025 and requires major platforms, including TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, to take reasonable steps to block underage account holders.

Around two-thirds of participants reported encountering age-verification measures. The most common methods included self-declared age checks and photo-based verification systems, according to the study published in the British Medical Journal.

However, the study also found clear evidence of circumvention. Around 15 to 19 per cent of adolescents reported using fake accounts to access platforms. Between 9 per cent and 29 per cent accessed social media through accounts belonging to friends or family members. Up to 11 per cent reported using private browser modes to bypass restrictions.

Despite the new regulations, overall social media usage patterns showed little change. Daily usage remained stable among 12 to 13-year-olds, declined slightly among 14 to 15-year-olds, and increased among users over the age of 16.

Researchers stated that this is one of the first evaluations of its kind, making it significant because many countries are closely observing Australia’s approach. The findings provide an important early snapshot of how the policy is being implemented and the challenges involved in enforcing age-based social media restrictions.

Australia’s introduction of a social media ban for under-16s has attracted widespread global attention and may influence similar policies in other countries in the future.