Social Media Platforms Must Restrict Access for Users Under 16, Including Instagram, Facebook, Threads, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat
Around one in five Australian teenagers under 16 continued using social media two months after the country enforced a ban on minors, according to industry data, casting doubt on the effectiveness of age-verification measures.
Usage among 13- to 15-year-olds on TikTok and Snapchat—two of the most popular apps among Australian teens—declined since the ban took effect in December, but over 20% were still active on the platforms by February, a report from parental control software company Qustodio shared with Reuters found.
The data is among the first to reveal how Australian youths’ online behavior has changed since the country implemented its social media ban—a policy now being considered by other governments worldwide. While the Australian government and at least two university studies are monitoring the ban’s effects, no official results have been published yet.
“Among children whose parents haven’t blocked access, a significant number continue to use restricted platforms months after the ban,” Qustodio said, based on data collected from Australian families between late 2024 and February.
Under the law, platforms including Meta’s Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, Google’s YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat must block users under 16 or face fines up to A$49.5 million ($35 million).
A spokesperson for the eSafety Commissioner said the office is aware that some under-16s remain active on social media and is “actively engaging with platforms and their age-assurance providers… while continuing to monitor for any systemic failures that may constitute a breach of the law.”
The regulator added that it is “drawing on a range of insights to assess compliance” with the restrictions.
A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells said the government has always acknowledged that “increasing the minimum age to access social media is a cultural change that will take time.”
Snapchat did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while a TikTok spokesperson declined to comment.
According to Qustodio, the share of Australians aged 13-15 using Snapchat fell 13.8 percentage points to 20.3% between November and February, while TikTok usage in the same age group dropped 5.7 points to 21.2%. YouTube usage dipped slightly by one percentage point to 36.9%, though the data did not clarify whether these users were logged into accounts—under the ban, YouTube can still be accessed without logging in.
Teen social media use in Australia usually decreases in December and January during the long summer school break, but Qustodio noted the decline this year was sharper than in previous years, indicating the ban had an effect.
However, “some dips seen in December-January are slowly beginning to recover,” the report added.
Concerns that teenagers might migrate to unregulated platforms did not appear to materialize, although WhatsApp saw a slight increase in use among 13-15-year-olds.
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