Most Australian teens still on social media despite landmark ban

What the report says

Australia is standing by its landmark restriction on social media use for children under 16 after new research suggested the rule has not yet led to a major decline in teen usage. Sky News World reports that a study found little change in how many Australian teens were still using social platforms months after the ban took effect. The policy is being watched closely because it is the first of its kind and is intended to reduce harms linked to youth exposure to social media.

The development highlights the practical challenge of enforcing age-based online limits, especially on widely used platforms that are built around easy sign-up and habitual use. It also raises questions about whether stronger verification, parental oversight or platform-level controls may be needed for such restrictions to have a measurable effect. The article indicates the government is defending the measure despite the early evidence.

More broadly, the Australian case is likely to matter well beyond the country because regulators in other places have been considering ways to limit children’s access to social media. While the source snippet does not provide detailed figures or the full study methodology, it suggests the early impact of the ban has been limited, even as officials continue to present it as an important step in online safety policy.