More than eight in 10 Australian teenagers are still using social media three months after the government implemented a landmark ban on platforms for users under 16 years old. The ban, which came into force on December 10, 2025, aimed to restrict access for younger users but has been largely circumvented.

According to a study published by eSafety on Friday, July 31, 2026, most children aged between 10 and 15 were using social media just as frequently in March 2026 as they had before the ban. Parental awareness of their social media habits also decreased during this period.

The report found that nearly 86 percent of children surveyed used at least one age-restricted platform before the ban, and three months later, that figure remained above 81 percent. About 58 percent of teenagers reported daily social media use, a slight decline from roughly 60 percent prior to the ban.

The Australian government's internet regulator, eSafety, attributed the continued access primarily to social media platforms' failure to implement effective age assurance measures. “Most under-16s who had social media accounts before commencement were able to either retain them or create new ones at the three-month mark,” eSafety said in a statement.

In response, the Australian government has defended the ban but acknowledged that most teenagers have found ways to bypass it. As a result, Australia plans to double fines on Big Tech companies to enforce compliance more effectively.

Meanwhile, related developments include the US Supreme Court clearing the way for Texas to enforce an app age verification law, highlighting ongoing global efforts to regulate underage social media use.

Sources