Most Australian teenagers are still using social media three months after the country’s world-first under-16 ban took effect, according to a new study from the eSafety Commissioner that undercuts one of the government’s flagship online-safety policies.
The share of teens using social media slipped only from 86% to 81%, the regulator found, even though platforms are now legally required to keep minors out, a gap that fits a law stronger on paper than in practice.
The research surveyed more than 4,000 children and families, comparing their habits before the ban with a three-month follow-up. It is the first large official read on whether the law, which began on 10 December 2025, is actually keeping under-16s off the platforms it targets.
The headline figure is modest movement. Social-media use among teenagers fell by five percentage points, while the share who own an account dropped from 52% to 42%, declines the regulator called real but well short of the ban’s intent.
The reason is enforcement, not appetite. Around half of the teens still using the apps said the platforms simply never checked their age, and others listed themselves as 16 or older or slipped past faulty verification systems.
