Survey of 1,050 Australian teens: ~60% said they retained access to social media accounts after ban; two-thirds say platforms took no action to remove accounts
If teenagers have a will, they will find a way. … Evelyn, a 14-year-old in New South Wales, told The Washington Post in December 2025 …
Lead Source
How this story grew
More
Discussion
TechSnif Coverage
Australia's Teen Social Media Ban Is Already Failing
Survey finds 60% of Australian teens still have social media access despite the country's underage ban.
Australia's much-hyped social media ban for minors is looking like a spectacular flop. A survey of 1,050 Australian teenagers reveals roughly 60% kept access to their social media accounts after the ban took effect.
Even worse for regulators: two-thirds of respondents said platforms took zero action to remove their accounts. The platforms essentially shrugged.
The findings confirm what skeptics predicted all along — determined teens will find workarounds. One 14-year-old from New South Wales spoke to The Washington Post in December 2025 about navigating the restrictions.
The data paints a clear picture of enforcement failure. Without meaningful cooperation from platforms and robust verification mechanisms, age-based bans remain largely symbolic. The kids are still online. The platforms aren't policing it. And the ban exists mostly on paper.