Australia’s Social Media Ban for Teens: Is It Working?

In December 2025, Australia implemented a world-first ban on social media access for individuals under the age of 16. As other countries, like the UK, consider similar measures, the question arises: is Australia’s ban achieving its intended goals? Three months after the ban took effect, assessing its success remains a complex undertaking.

The Ban’s Implementation

The ban requires ten major platforms – including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Kick, and Twitch – to verify users’ ages and remove accounts belonging to those under 16. Platforms were required to comply with the ban starting December 10, 2025.

Initial Compliance and Account Removal

As of early March 2026, platforms have removed 4.7 million Australian accounts to comply with the ban. While this figure demonstrates technical compliance, it doesn’t fully reflect the ban’s impact on teenagers’ social media usage or mental wellbeing.

Early Assessments and Challenges

Early data suggests that the ban’s impact on mental health outcomes is still unclear. Caroline Thain, national clinical adviser with the mental health organization Headspace, notes that it’s too early to measure real-world effects, with only about one in ten teenagers mentioning the ban as a reason for seeking support at Headspace centers.

However, teenagers are already finding ways to circumvent the ban. Reports indicate that some are using face scans or even their friends’ or parents’ driver’s licenses to verify their age and gain access to platforms. Some teens also report having created accounts with false birthdates before the ban was implemented. A market has even emerged where younger individuals pay older friends or family members to perform ID scans for them.

Platforms Covered by the Ban

The ban applies to major social media services including TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and Threads. It does not include platforms like YouTube Kids, Google Classroom, or WhatsApp, as these were not deemed to primarily facilitate social interaction.

Ongoing Evaluation

The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has announced a comprehensive evaluation of the ban, which will follow over 4,000 children and families for more than two years.

Why the Ban Was Implemented

The Australian government enacted the ban to mitigate the negative impacts of social media on young people’s health and wellbeing. A 2025 study found that 96% of children aged 10-15 used social media, with a significant proportion exposed to harmful content, including misogynistic material, violent content, content promoting eating disorders and suicide, cyberbullying, and grooming behavior.