Key facts
- Over 81% of Australian teens aged 10-15 continue to use social media three months after a ban for under-16s took effect.
- Tech platforms are cited as failing to implement effective age assurance measures, allowing teens to retain or create accounts.
- Daily social media usage among teens remained high at 58%, a minimal decrease from pre-ban levels.
- Parental awareness of children's social media habits has declined since the ban.
- eSafety is investigating five major platforms for potential non-compliance with the age restrictions.
Three months after Australia enacted a landmark ban on social media platforms for individuals under 16, a significant majority of teenagers continue to access these services. The country's internet regulator, eSafety, found that over 81% of surveyed teens aged 10 to 15 were still using platforms like YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok. This persistence is largely attributed to the tech companies' failure to implement effective age verification measures.
While account ownership saw a decline from 52% to 42%, the frequency of social media use remained largely unchanged, with 58% of teens reporting daily or more frequent engagement. Many teens reported that platforms did not check their age, or that their accounts were listed as being for individuals aged 16 or older. This situation has led eSafety to investigate five major platforms: Meta's Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Google's YouTube, for potential non-compliance.
The ban, introduced due to concerns over the mental and physical health impacts of social media on young people, is being closely monitored internationally. Despite the regulatory efforts, the report also indicated a decrease in parental awareness of their children's online habits. In response to these findings, the Australian government plans to double penalties for non-compliant tech firms and enhance eSafety's information-gathering capabilities. While some industry improvements have been observed, eSafety maintains concerns regarding the compliance of the platforms under scrutiny.