AppReviewPros reported on April 20th that Australia pioneered a nationwide ban on social media for users under 16 years old last December. Four months later, this policy, considered a “world first,” has not been as effective as hoped.
A recent survey shows that the ban has failed to limit minors’ use of the platform as the government anticipated. Research by the UK suicide prevention charity Molly Rose Foundation found that among users aged 12 to 15 who already had accounts before the ban, 61% still have access to one or more accounts.
From a platform perspective, most major apps still retain a large number of underage users: approximately 53% of TikTok and YouTube users can still log in to their accounts, and the figure for Instagram is 52%.
In the early stages of the ban, reports surfaced that some teenagers bypassed facial recognition verification by using exaggerated expressions, makeup, or VPNs; some even used verified facial information to help others circumvent restrictions.
However, the report points out that in most cases, the problem is not that users “hacked” the system, but rather that the platforms failed to identify and remove accounts under the age of 16. In other words, most minors can continue to use social media without taking additional measures.
The survey shows that approximately 64% of YouTube users, 61% of Snapchat users, and 60% of Instagram and TikTok users said that the platforms did not take any action to delete or disable their accounts.
From a security perspective, the policy’s effectiveness is also limited. 51% of respondents felt the ban did not improve their online safety, and another 14% said it actually made them feel more insecure.
The agency believes that replicating similar policies in the UK would not deliver the immediate safety improvements that parents and children expect, and that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer needs to push for a new Online Safety Act.
According to AppReviewPros News, following Australia, Greece, France, Indonesia, Austria, Spain, and the UK have also implemented or are considering similar measures.
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