Australia's Social Media Ban for Teens Is Going, Uh, Pretty Badly

Key Points:

• Australia's ban on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat for users under 16, effective December 2025, has proven largely ineffective, with usage rates among 13-15 year olds dropping only briefly before returning to near pre-ban levels.
• Data from parental-control company Qustodio shows that 26% of Australian children aged 13-15 were on TikTok recently, just 1% below the rate before the ban, and usage among 10-12 year olds has actually increased since the ban.
• The Australian government's eSafety commission found a minor decline in social media use among 10-15 year olds, from 86% to 81%, and many teens report easily circumventing the ban due to weak age verification methods.
• Similar social media age restrictions are being implemented or considered in countries like France, the UK, Indonesia, Malaysia, and New Zealand, though experts doubt these bans will fully prevent young teens from accessing social platforms.
• There is ongoing debate about whether banning social media for under-16s is the best approach to balance risks like addiction and harmful content against benefits such as peer connection and self-expression.