Australia’s world-first ban on social media accounts for children under 16 has reduced account ownership, but it has not taken most kids offline. Research from the country’s online safety regulator found that the share of 10- to 15-year-olds holding at least one account on an age-restricted platform fell by nearly 20% in the law’s first three months. Among children who kept their accounts, half said the platform had not yet asked them to confirm their age.The figures returned to the spotlight after a 60 Minutes report examined how the law is working. For American families, the stakes are practical. A Pew Research Center analysis found that 56% of U.S. adults support banning anyone under 16 from social media, which makes Australia the first large-scale test of an idea many Americans already favor.Inside Australia’s Account BanThe law took effect on Dec. 10, 2025. It covers ten platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X, Reddit, Twitch and Kick. Children and parents are not penalized. Instead, companies must take reasonable steps to stop under-16 users from opening or keeping accounts.Platforms reported revoking access to about 4.7 million accounts belonging to Australian children by mid-January, Al Jazeera reported, citing officials. As evidence mounted that many teens were still online, the government moved to roughly double the maximum penalty for systemic failures, from A49.5 million t oabout A99 million (about US$69 million), according to the prime minister’s office. The legislation strengthening enforcement became law in September 2026.Enforcement Gaps Behind the DropThe regulator’s evaluation is following more than 4,000 children and families over two years. In its three-month follow-up, the share of surveyed 10- to 15-year-olds with an account on at least one restricted platform fell from 52.4% to 42.1%. Yet 81.5% said they had used at least one of those platforms in the previous four weeks, compared with 85.9% before the ban.Among children who still held accounts, 50.2% said the platform had not yet asked them to confirm their age, and 18.2% said an age check had incorrectly estimated their age, according to the eSafety evaluation report. The regulator said platforms’ failure to put effective age checks in place was the main reason most under-16s kept or reopened accounts.Julie Inman Grant, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, told 60 Minutes, “We haven’t seen the kind of compliance I would have hoped for from the social media platforms.” Her office is investigating Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube for possible noncompliance. One 15-year-old told the program he kept using a platform simply by opening a new account with a birthday two years earlier.Independent research points the same way. A study of 408 adolescents published in The BMJ found that more than 85% of participants under 16 were still using restricted platforms at follow-up. The researchers said they found little evidence of immediate, substantial reductions in reported use.Supporters, Critics and Missing Mental Health DataSupporters say the law sets a community standard that helps parents say no. South Australia Premier Peter Malinauskas, who pushed for the ban, told 60 Minutes he never expected it to be a silver bullet but believes children use social media less because of it. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said big tech is not doing enough to comply. At one South Australian school featured by 60 Minutes, teachers said the ban had freed some children to have healthier childhoods, and Pew found that 82% of Australian adults support restricting children’s access.Critics see it differently. Meta told 60 Minutes it is complying but argued that blanket bans push teens toward less regulated corners of the internet. Snap said it takes the law seriously, and TikTok said its platform is built with safety at its core. Reddit and a digital rights group are challenging the law in Australia’s High Court, arguing it burdens free political communication. The cases are expected to be heard before the end of the year.The most important question remains unanswered. There is not yet evidence showing whether the ban improves children’s mental health, because the regulator’s long-term study is still underway. In the United States, a 2023 Surgeon General’s advisory linked more than three hours of daily social media use with double the risk of depression and anxiety symptoms in adolescents. That finding is an association, not proof that removing accounts will reverse harm.Lessons for American FamiliesThe Australian data offer a caution for U.S. parents and lawmakers. A law can shift norms and remove millions of accounts, but enforcement depends heavily on how seriously platforms check ages. Kids who want to stay online often find a way, which means family conversations still matter.Parents can start by learning which apps their children use and checking the age listed on each account. Teen account settings, private profiles, and limits on late-night use are reasonable first steps. Talking openly about sextortion, bullying, and harmful content may help children come forward when something goes wrong.Families should contact a pediatrician or mental health professional if a child shows lasting changes in sleep, mood, eating, or school performance. Anyone in crisis can call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Parents can also ask schools how they teach online safety and handle phone use during the day.The High Court cases could decide whether the law stands, and eSafety’s investigations could lead to the first enforcement actions against major platforms. The United Kingdom has also announced plans for similar restrictions starting in spring 2027, so the debate is likely to grow in the United States as well.
Key Questions AnsweredWhat does Australia’s under-16 social media law do?It requires ten major platforms to stop children under 16 from opening or keeping accounts. Companies, not families, face penalties.Did the ban reduce kids’ social media accounts?Yes, partly. The share of 10- to 15-year-olds with at least one restricted account fell by nearly 20% in the first three months.Why are so many children still online?Half of children who kept accounts said the platform had not yet asked them to verify their age, and some age checks estimated their age incorrectly.Has the ban improved children’s mental health?It is too early to say. Australia’s regulator is running a two-year study, and outcome data are not yet available.Could the United States adopt a similar ban?Public support exists, with 56% of U.S. adults backing an under-16 ban in a Pew survey, but no national U.S. ban is in place.What can U.S. parents do now?Review the apps and account settings children use, talk about online risks, and contact a pediatrician if mood or sleep changes persist.
Published by Medicaldaily.com
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