Four in five under-16s in Australia using social media despite ban, study shows

Research indicates that over 80% of Australian children under 16 continue using social media three months after a blanket ban took effect. Australia is the first country to prohibit under-16s from platforms including TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. Experts argue the law is insufficient to prevent access to harmful content and a more convincing strategy is needed. Meanwhile, the UK expects to implement its own social media ban for under-16s by spring.