Australia's world-first social media age restrictions for users under 16 have had a limited early impact on adolescent use, a new study has revealed
SYDNEY — Australia's world-first social media age restrictions for users under 16 have had a limited early impact on adolescent use, a new study has revealed.
Researchers found more than 85 per cent of under-16s continued to use restricted platforms, with many accessing services through their own accounts, as well as alternative or shared accounts, according to a statement from Australia's University of Newcastle (UON) released on Thursday.
The UON-led study tracked 408 adolescents aged 12 to 17 before and three months after the introduction of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which came into effect in December, 2025, and requires major platforms, including TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat, to take reasonable steps to block underage account holders, reports Xinhua news agency.
Around two-thirds reported encountering age verification measures, most commonly self-declared age or photo-based checks, according to the study published in the British Medical Journal.
"There was also clear evidence of circumvention -- for example, using fake accounts or accounts belonging to friends or family," said the study's lead investigator, UON public health researcher Courtney Barnes.
The study showed that around 15-19 per cent of adolescents reported using a fake account to access platforms. Between 9 per cent and 29 per cent reported accessing platforms through someone else's account. Up to 11 per cent reported using private browser modes to bypass restrictions.
Overall usage patterns showed little change. Daily social media use remained stable among 12-13-year-olds, declined slightly among 14-15-year-olds, and increased among those over 16, it said.
"This is one of the first evaluations of its kind, which is important because other countries are watching Australia closely," Barnes said, adding the findings provided an important early snapshot of policy implementation.
Australia's introduction of a social media ban for under-16s has attracted widespread global attention. Countries including Britain, France, Spain, Greece, Norway and Turkey have since moved to advance similar legislation aimed at strengthening controls on children and young people's use of social media platforms.
Co-author, UON behavioural scientist Professor Luke Wolfenden, noted that effectiveness is likely to depend on how robustly and consistently age assurance systems are enforced over time.
The research team acknowledges that the full impact of the legislation may take years to emerge and that longer-term evaluation will be critical.