20% of Aussie teens under 16 still use banned social media after ban

One-fifth of Australian teenagers under 16 were still using social media two months after their country banned platforms from allowing minors access. Industry data reveals that despite stringent measures, TikTok and Snapchat’s youth popularity continued at more than 20%, suggesting the effectiveness of age-gating methods remains questionable.

The ban imposed in December by the Australian government on Meta’s Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Google’s YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat has garnered international attention as it mirrors moves taken by other nations. While data is scarce on the overall impact, a Qustodio report based on family data from late 2024 through February indicates that significant numbers of under-16s continued to use these platforms post-ban.

Among teenagers whose parents had already blocked access, nearly 20% were still using restricted apps like TikTok and Snapchat in the subsequent months. According to Qustodio, this suggests that even with parental controls in place, some youth managed to circumvent the ban’s restrictions. The internet regulator eSafety Commissioner acknowledged these findings, expressing its ongoing efforts to monitor and enforce compliance.

The regulatory body highlighted its reliance on a variety of insights to assess whether platforms were adhering to age-gating measures. While specific details about Snapchat’s and TikTok’s performance are provided—TikTok users dropped 5.7 percentage points while Snapchat users declined by 13.8—the overall youth engagement with YouTube, which allows unrestricted access for all ages, remained stable.

The decline in use of these platforms among teens aged 13-15 mirrors a seasonal trend, as social media usage typically decreases during the extended school break lasting from December to February. However, this year saw a more pronounced dip compared to previous years, prompting speculations about the ban’s effectiveness.

Interestingly, WhatsApp did see a slight increase in use among teenagers under 16, possibly reflecting their growing appeal despite not being restricted by age gateways. The data does not specify whether these users were logged into their accounts, though YouTube remains accessible without authentication for all ages, offering another area of ambiguity within the regulatory framework.

As governments worldwide contemplate similar bans on minors’ access to social media platforms, this Australian case provides a nuanced look at the challenges and potential limitations of such measures. Whether the current ban will succeed in curtailing youth online engagement or encourage them towards unregulated avenues remains an open question highlighted by these initial findings.