Most Australian teens still on social media three months after under-16 ban began, study finds
More than 8 in 10 Australian teenagers still used social media three months after the ban, as eSafety blamed weak age checks.
- On Friday, the Australian internet regulator eSafety reported that more than 8 in 10 teenagers continue using social media three months after the government's under-16 ban took effect, citing ineffective age checks by tech firms.
- Australia's world-first ban, which started December 10 last year, aimed to protect youth mental health, but eSafety found most under-16s retained accounts or created new ones because platforms failed to implement effective age assurance measures.
- About 58% of teenagers report using social media daily, barely down from roughly 60% before the ban, even as account ownership declined to 42% from 52% with "statistically significant" reductions across YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok.
- In June, the government announced plans to double maximum penalties for non-compliant tech firms and strengthen eSafety's information-gathering powers to compel evidence from Facebook and Instagram.
- The report notes unintended consequences including decreased parental awareness of children's online habits and increased use of Reddit, which rose from 6% to more than 9% despite ban restrictions.
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59 Articles
Australia’s Teen Social Media Ban Falters as Most Youth Remain Online
Three months after Australia put its pioneering ban on social media for those under 16 into force, the numbers tell a story of limited success. More than eight in 10 Australian children aged 10 to 15 continued to use the platforms. Usage frequency barely budged. And the main culprit, according to the national internet regulator, was the failure of tech companies to enforce meaningful age checks. The findings come from a study released July 31 by…
On Saturday, the Australian government defended its decision to ban the use of social media for people under the age of 16, in the first such action worldwide, despite official statements that showed that the majority of adolescents continued to use these platforms after the ban came into effect. This came after the Australian Internet Regulatory Authority revealed that more than eight out of ten adolescents still use social media three months a…
Australia defends teen social media ban after report finds most under-16s still using platforms
The Australian government has reportedly mounted a strong defense of its world-first ban on social media for children after new data revealed that most teenagers are still active on restricted...
Australia defends teen social media ban after study shows most still online
Australia’s government mounted a defence on Saturday of its world-first ban on social media for children under 16, even as fresh data revealed the scale of the challenge confronting the landmark policy.
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