Australia was the first country in the world to introduce a nationwide social media ban for children under the age of 16. Six months after the law came into effect, however, new research suggests it has had little impact on how teenagers actually use social media. Now, the Australian government says it wants to make the legislation even tougher. Here’s everything you need to know about the country’s next move and why Big Tech companies could soon face greater pressure.
Teen Social Media Use Remains Largely Unchanged
According to a new study published in the British Medical Journal, around 85 per cent of Australian teenagers aged 12 to 15 were still using social media three months after the ban came into force. The research, based on responses from 408 adolescents, found that many young users simply bypassed age restrictions. The study claims that nearly two-thirds of underage users managed to keep their accounts by either declaring they were over 16 or uploading selfies that platforms accepted as proof of age.
Researchers concluded, “Despite the intent of the (ban) to delay access to social media platforms and reduce the potential for online harms, little evidence was found of immediate substantive reductions in reported social media use by adolescents.”
The findings have raised fresh questions about how effective age-verification systems are and whether current enforcement measures are strong enough to prevent children from accessing social platforms.
Australia Wants Stronger Powers Against Big Tech
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has now indicated that the government intends to strengthen the legislation before it faces further legal challenges.
Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Albanese said, “What we want to do is to make sure that the laws are as strong as possible and that they will withstand any legal challenges which are made.”
He also said the government wants to ensure the country’s eSafety Commission has sufficient authority to enforce the rules effectively.
The law requires major technology platforms, including services operated by Meta and Google, to stop users under 16 from creating accounts. Companies found to have systematically failed to comply could face penalties of up to A$49.5 million.
The crackdown has already drawn legal resistance. Reddit has launched a High Court challenge against the legislation, while several countries are closely monitoring Australia’s approach as they consider introducing similar restrictions to protect children online.
