Most Australian teens still online three months after under-16 ban

What the report says

Australia’s internet regulator says the country’s new under-16 social media ban has had only limited effect three months after taking force on December 10, with most teenagers still able to log on. In a study published Friday, eSafety said more than eight in 10 Australians aged 10 to 15 were still using social platforms, and that daily use among teens had barely changed compared with levels before the restriction.

The Al Jazeera report said the main problem identified by the regulator was that tech companies had not put in place effective age-checking systems. eSafety said many young users either kept existing accounts or opened new ones, while others were misclassified as old enough to access the services. The study also found little change in how children spent time on sports, music, family activities, or community events.

Australia introduced the world-first measure over concerns about the effects of social media on children’s mental and physical health, and its rollout is being watched internationally by countries considering similar rules. Government officials defended the policy after the findings were released, arguing that it has already changed public debate and led to millions of accounts being shut down. They said full compliance was never expected, comparing the situation to other age-based laws that are not perfectly enforced.