3 min learnMar 13, 2026 09:35 AM IST
One-fifth of Australian youngsters underneath 16 had been nonetheless utilizing social media two months after the nation banned platforms from permitting minors, business knowledge confirmed, elevating questions in regards to the effectiveness of their age-gating strategies.
The variety of 13-to-15-year-olds utilizing TikTok and Snapchat, among the many hottest social media apps with Australian youngsters, fell from earlier than the ban took impact in December to February, however nonetheless greater than 20 per cent used the apps, in accordance with a report by parental management software program maker Qustodio offered to Reuters.
The info is among the many first to indicate the consequences on youth on-line behaviour since Australia rolled out the ban, which is being copied by governments world wide. The Australian authorities and no less than two college research are monitoring the ban’s impression however none has revealed knowledge but.
“Amongst youngsters whose dad and mom haven’t blocked entry, a significant quantity proceed to make use of restricted platforms within the months following the ban,” Qustodio mentioned within the report, which was primarily based on knowledge collected from Australian households from late 2024 to February.
Underneath the ban, platforms together with Meta’s Instagram, Fb and Threads, Google’s YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat should block folks aged underneath 16 or face a superb of as much as A$49.5 million ($35 million).
A spokesperson for web regulator the eSafety Commissioner mentioned the workplace was conscious of reviews some under-16s remained on social media and was “actively partaking with platforms and their age assurance suppliers … whereas persevering with to watch for any systemic failures which will quantity to a breach of the regulation”.
The regulator was “actively drawing on a spread of insights to evaluate compliance,” the spokesperson added.
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A spokesperson for communications minister Anika Wells mentioned the federal government had at all times been clear “that rising the minimal age to entry social media is a cultural change that can take time”.
A consultant for Snapchat was not instantly out there for remark. A TikTok spokesperson declined to remark.
The Qustodio knowledge confirmed the variety of Australians aged 13-15 utilizing Snapchat tumbled 13.8 share factors to twenty.3 per cent from November to February, whereas the quantity in that age group utilizing TikTok fell 5.7 share factors to 21.2 per cent.
The quantity in that age group utilizing YouTube dipped by one share level to 36.9 per cent, though the info didn’t specify whether or not the customers had been logged into accounts. The Australian ban permits folks of all ages to make use of YouTube with out logging in.
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Australian teenage social media use usually dips in December and January because of the nation’s lengthy summer season faculty break, however the knowledge confirmed a steeper decline than the earlier 12 months, suggesting the ban had an impression, Qustodio mentioned.
However “some dips seen in December-January are slowly starting to recuperate”, the report added.
Fears that youngsters may migrate to unregulated platforms have not materialised, the info confirmed, though WhatsApp recorded a small uptick in use amongst 13-15-year-olds.