BLUF

The under-16 social media ban has had limited impact: more than 81 percent of teens still use platforms, largely due to weak age checks. Parental awareness has declined, while messaging and gaming use has increased.

Learning Outcomes 

  • Analyse the effectiveness of Australia’s under-16 social media ban by interpreting data on youth social media usage, account ownership, and compliance trends.
  • Evaluate the role of age-verification systems and platform compliance in enforcing online safety regulations and reducing underage access to social media platforms.
  • Assess the intended and unintended impacts of social media restrictions on young people, including changes in online behaviour, parental awareness, and potential risks to wellbeing and online safety. 
READ: Most Australian teens still on social media three months after under-16 ban began, study finds

References