JAKARTA, Signalberita.com – Australia’s policy restricting social media use for children under 16 has not fully succeeded in limiting teenagers’ access to digital platforms. Three months after the rule was implemented, the majority of children aged 10 to 15 are still recorded as using social media.
An initial evaluation by Australia’s internet safety regulator, eSafety Australia, found that approximately 81 percent of children in this age group still use at least one of the restricted social media platforms.
This figure represents only a slight decrease compared to the period before the rule took effect on December 10, 2025; previously, nearly 86 percent of children reported being active social media users.
The evaluation involved over 4,000 children and families as part of a two-year study designed to measure the impact of the age-restriction policy.
Account Ownership Drops, Yet Daily Activity Remains High
Although the number of accounts held has declined, social media usage habits among teenagers have not changed significantly. Data shows account ownership fell from 52 percent to 42 percent.
However, around 58 percent of children still access social media daily—a marginal drop from the pre-implementation figure of approximately 60 percent.
The most noticeable decline in usage occurred on platforms such as YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok, while usage of Facebook and Instagram remained relatively stable.
Age Verification Remains a Major Challenge
One of the biggest obstacles in enforcing the rule is the age verification system, which is considered ineffective. About half of the children who still hold accounts reported that platforms never performed age checks or incorrectly estimated their age as being over 16.
Some teenagers are also able to retain existing accounts or create new ones by entering incorrect dates of birth.
This situation has prompted the Australian government to consider tightening regulations on technology companies. Regulators are investigating the compliance of major platforms—such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube—regarding the implementation of age verification.
Australian Government Prepares Stricter Rules
The Australian government plans to increase penalties and strengthen the eSafety Commissioner’s authority to demand evidence of the measures tech companies are taking to restrict access for underage users.
Although evaluations reveal significant loopholes, the government believes the policy has still had a positive impact, particularly by reducing the number of accounts held by children.
However, preliminary research indicates that a ban alone is insufficient without a more robust and tamper-proof age-checking system.(*)
