Under-16 Social Media Ban Has Minimal Effect, Australian Study Says

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Sydney: Australia's revolutionary ban on social media use for children under 16 has had little impact in its first few months, with new study revealing that more than four out of every five teenagers continue to use popular platforms despite the restrictions.

Researchers at the University of Newcastle discovered significant violations, with many underage users evading the prohibition by creating fake accounts or utilising poor verification of age mechanisms. Most networks relied on self-declared ages or simple selfie verification, which allowed many young users to remain online.

The results, according to researchers, cast doubt on the efficacy of broad prohibitions in the absence of stronger enforcement and trustworthy age verification. They argued that rather than depending only on age limitations, safeguarding children online will also require better platform design, digital literacy, and more comprehensive child-safety safeguards.

In December 2025, Australia became the first nation to ban under-16s from using social media countrywide. Governments, including the UK, which is thinking about similar laws, are keeping a careful eye on the findings.