Australian Teens Return to Social Media Despite Under-16 Ban

Data from parental control software maker Qustodio shows that Australian teenagers are returning to social media platforms eight months after the government implemented a ban on users under 16 in December. Usage among children aged 13 to 15 on TikTok has reached 26%, nearly returning to pre-ban levels, while usage among children aged 10 to 12 has increased since the rules took effect.

While Instagram and Snapchat saw initial declines, usage on both platforms has begun to rise again. Meta's WhatsApp, which is exempt from the restrictions, saw usage among 13-to-15-year-olds grow from 27% to 36%. Experts suggest that children are bypassing age verification checks by using virtual private networks or obfuscating their ages.

In response to this poor compliance, the Parliament of Australia pledged to double maximum penalties for violations to A$99 million. The government also intends to grant the eSafety Commissioner additional enforcement powers to better regulate the platforms and ensure the age restrictions are upheld.