Australia’s under-16 social media ban failing, study shows: What it means

Author: Sarah Shamim
Published on: 03/08/2026 | 00:00:00

AI Summary:
Australia’s internet regulator, eSafety, said it had found more than eight in 10 Australian under-16s are continuing to use social media despite the government’s prohibition for children under 16. The ban came into effect in December last year. Around 58 percent of teenagers reported using social media daily. Australia banned children under 16 from using social media platforms in December 2025. Video game platforms are not included in the ban. The government said this was prompted by increasing concerns about the effects of cyberbullying, sexual exploitation and self-harm content on children and young people. As of January 16, social media companies had revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children in Australia, officials said. “We stared down everybody who said it couldn’t be done, some of the most powerful and rich companies in the world and their supporters,” Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters in January. However, several months later, it now appears that youngsters have been able to open new accounts with relative ease. Days after Australia’s ban took effect, Reddit lodged American Psychological Association published an advisory last year warning that generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems can amplify harmful content such as violent or sexual videos. Adolescents are less likely than adults to question accuracy of AI-generated content. In the United Kingdom, the government has announced that it plans to introduce a ban on social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram from spring 2027. Malaysia said it would ban social media accounts for people under 16 from this year. In April, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced plans to prohibit social media access for children under 15.

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