Australia under-16 social media ban shows limited early impact, study finds
Synopsis
Australia passed the world's first under-16 social media ban — but three months in, more than 85% of affected adolescents are still online, using fake accounts, borrowed logins, and private browsers to get around it. A peer-reviewed BMJ study is now the first hard evidence that legislation alone, without robust age assurance enforcement, may not move the needle.
Key Takeaways
More than 85 per cent of under-16s continued using restricted platforms three months after Australia's social media age ban took effect.
The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 came into force in December 2025 , covering TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube , and Snapchat .
Between 15–19 per cent of adolescents used fake accounts; 9–29 per cent accessed platforms via someone else's account; up to 11 per cent used private browser modes.
Daily social media use remained stable among 12–13-year-olds and increased among those aged 16 and above .
Countries including Britain, France, Spain, Greece, Norway , and Turkey are advancing similar legislation, making Australia's results a closely watched benchmark.
Australia's landmark social media age restrictions for users under 16 have produced only a limited early impact on adolescent usage, according to a new peer-reviewed study published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers found that more than 85 per cent of under-16s continued to access restricted platforms in the three months following the law's introduction, raising early questions about enforcement efficacy.
What the Study Tracked
The research, led by the University of Newcastle (UON) in Australia, monitored 408 adolescents aged 12 to 17 before and after the commencement of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which came into effect in December 2025. The law requires major platforms — including TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat — to take reasonable steps to block underage account holders.
How Adolescents Are Circumventing the Ban
Around two-thirds of participants reported encountering age verification measures, most commonly self-declared age or photo-based checks. However, the study documented clear patterns of circumvention. Between 15 and 19 per cent of adolescents reported using fake accounts to access platforms, while 9 to 29 per cent reported logging in through someone else's account. Up to 11 per cent used private browser modes to bypass restrictions.
'There was also clear evidence of circumvention — for example, using fake accounts or accounts belonging to friends or family,' said the study's lead investigator, UON public health researcher Courtney Barnes.
Usage Patterns: Minimal Shift
Overall social media usage showed little change across age groups. Daily use remained stable among 12–13-year-olds, declined slightly among 14–15-year-olds, and notably increased among those aged 16 and above. The findings suggest the law's short-term behavioural effect has been modest at best.
Co-author and UON behavioural scientist Professor Luke Wolfenden noted that effectiveness is likely to depend on how robustly and consistently age assurance systems are enforced over time.
Global Significance and What Comes Next
'This is one of the first evaluations of its kind, which is important because other countries are watching Australia closely,' Barnes said, describing the findings as an important early snapshot of policy implementation. Countries including Britain, France, Spain, Greece, Norway, and Turkey have since moved to advance similar legislation aimed at strengthening controls on children's and young people's use of social media platforms.
The research team acknowledged that the full impact of the legislation may take years to emerge, and that longer-term evaluation will be critical to assessing whether the policy achieves its intended outcomes.
Point of View
But this study is an early warning that legislation without enforcement infrastructure is largely symbolic. Age verification via self-declaration or photo checks is trivially easy to defeat — and adolescents, predictably, have done exactly that. The more consequential question is whether platforms face meaningful penalties for circumvention at scale, or whether 'reasonable steps' remains a low bar. Countries now drafting copycat laws should read this study before, not after, they legislate.
NationPress
25 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Australia's social media ban for under-16s?
Australia's Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 requires major social media platforms — including TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat — to take reasonable steps to prevent users under the age of 16 from holding accounts. The law came into effect in December 2025 and is the first of its kind in the world.
What did the BMJ study find about the ban's effectiveness?
A study published in the British Medical Journal , led by the University of Newcastle, found that more than 85 per cent of under-16s continued to access restricted platforms in the three months after the law took effect. Circumvention methods included fake accounts, shared accounts, and private browsing modes.
How are teenagers getting around the social media age ban?
According to the study, between 15 and 19 per cent of adolescents used fake accounts, 9 to 29 per cent accessed platforms through a friend's or family member's account, and up to 11 per cent used private browser modes to bypass age checks.
Which other countries are introducing similar social media age restrictions?
Britain, France, Spain, Greece, Norway, and Turkey have all moved to advance legislation similar to Australia's under-16 social media ban. Researchers note that these countries are closely watching Australia's implementation experience.
Will the ban's impact grow stronger over time?
Researchers at the University of Newcastle acknowledged that the full impact of the legislation may take years to emerge. Co-author Professor Luke Wolfenden noted that effectiveness will likely depend on how robustly and consistently age assurance systems are enforced going forward.
