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Australia’s landmark under-16 social media ban is already under pressure, with new data showing most teens are still online. From Face ID tricks to VPNs, young users are sidestepping restrictions, raising serious questions about whether such policies can actually protect mental health or simply push behaviour underground.
In a first-of-its-kind move, Australia banned social media for children under 16 in December 2025. The move was applauded and followed by several nations. In the next few months, countries across the world followed suit with their own tweaks. However, it is easy to say that Australia was the trendsetter for banning social media for kids amid rising mental health concerns.
But, soon after the ban, the question rose whether the ban was really effective? A few previous reports state that around
one-fifth of the kids in Australia were using social media even after the ban.
Now, a new insight has surfaced that flags that many teenagers wasted little time finding ways around it.
Despite strict measures such as age verification checks, account renewals, and blocks on new underage registrations, access to platforms has proven far from airtight.
Some of the tactics are surprisingly simple. A 14-year-old from New South Wales, identified as Evelyn, told The Washington Post that she intended to log in using her mother’s facial recognition credentials on apps like Snapchat and Instagram.
Online forums have also become hubs for workaround ideas. On Reddit, users have suggested everything from VPNs that mask location data to unconventional tricks like using mesh face masks purchased via Temu to confuse facial recognition systems.
New research indicates that these methods are not just theoretical. A survey of 1,050 Australians aged 12 to 15, conducted by the Molly Rose Foundation, found that more than 60 per cent of teens who had social media accounts before the ban continue to access at least one platform. Major services such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram have retained over half of their under-16 user base.
Perhaps more striking is the perception among young users that enforcement has been weak. Around two-thirds of respondents said platforms had taken no meaningful steps to deactivate or restrict pre-existing accounts, suggesting that the rules are not being uniformly applied.
The findings come as Australia’s internet regulator pushes for a formal investigation into leading social media companies over possible violations of the ban.
As the first nation to implement such a broad restriction, Australia is being closely watched by governments worldwide.
Countries including Greece, France, Indonesia, Austria, Spain, and the United Kingdom are either exploring or actively considering similar measures. Meanwhile, several US states are weighing legislation that could impose comparable restrictions or outright bans for minors.
However, critics argue that the early results highlight the limits of such policies. Andy Burrows, chief executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, warned that the data raises serious doubts about the ban’s effectiveness and cautioned against rushing into similar laws elsewhere.
The push for regulation stems from growing evidence linking excessive social media use with mental health concerns among young people. Studies have associated prolonged exposure with anxiety, depression, and poor body image, with nearly half of adolescents in one 2022 study reporting negative self-perception tied to online activity.
Legal pressures are also mounting. In a recent case in New Mexico, a jury found YouTube and Meta responsible for designing addictive features that harmed young users’ mental health, although both companies have said they will appeal.
As Australia refines its approach, the broader question remains unresolved:
can strict bans truly shield teenagers from harm, or do they simply drive digital habits further out of sight?
First Published:
April 27, 2026, 08:09 IST
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