Australian teen social-media ban shows minimal impact on usage rates

A parental-control software company said the Australian government's December 2025 restriction on social-media platforms for people under 16 has had little lasting effect on teen usage. Data from Qustodio showed that 26% of 13- to 15-year-olds were on TikTok in the latest month, just one point lower than before the rule took effect, while the proportion of 10- to 12-year-olds actually rose.

The company observed a brief decline in app use among both age groups when the ban began, but usage returned to near-pre-ban levels after a few months. Qustodio's figures are based on devices where parents have installed its monitoring software, which the firm notes may underestimate overall usage because it reflects a subset of families that already employ such tools.

These findings align with a recent eSafety Commission report that recorded a drop in social-media use among 10- to 15-year-olds from 86% to about 81% after the ban. The commission also reported that most teens did not find it difficult to bypass age-verification measures.

Australia's approach is being considered by several other nations, including France, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Malaysia and New Zealand, which has recently proposed a similar law. Analysts suggest that even with stricter age-verification systems, completely eliminating teen presence on social platforms is unlikely, as alternative apps and content formats remain attractive to younger users.