Australian Social Media Ban for Under-16s Faces Enforcement Failures

The Parliament of Australia implemented a nationwide ban on social media for individuals under 16 on December 10, 2025, targeting platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and X to combat predatory algorithms and online bullying. Despite support from advocacy groups like the Heads Up Alliance, early data indicates the law is failing to restrict access.

A survey by the Molly Rose Foundation revealed that approximately two-thirds of 12- to 15-year-olds still access these platforms, with 70% of those users describing the circumvention of the ban as easy. Internal briefing documents from the eSafety Commission, obtained via freedom of information laws, confirm that TikTok and Instagram continued to dominate app store rankings and downloads throughout January, showing no meaningful shift in usage patterns.

The eSafety Commissioner has warned social media platforms that major gaps exist in their age-verification implementation. Meanwhile, critics such as the Free Speech Union argue the ban intrudes on privacy and that biometric scans may discriminate against people with disabilities. Due to these failures, the Molly Rose Foundation has warned the United Kingdom against adopting similar policies, suggesting that regulators instead target the addictive designs and business models of tech firms.