More than 80% of kids still using social media despite ban, new eSafety report finds

Three months after Australia implemented its social media age ban in December twenty twenty-five, the eSafety Commissioner released evaluation findings, per The Conversation. More than eighty percent of children were still using age-restricted platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, with overall usage dropping only slightly—from eighty-five point nine percent to eighty-one point five percent. The main culprit is ineffective age verification; more than half the children surveyed said platforms never asked them to verify their age, while thirty-seven percent simply listed themselves as sixteen or older to maintain access. An unintended consequence has also surfaced: parents are now ten percent less likely to know their child is using social media. The report's findings come as Australia's government pledges to investigate non-compliance and consider increasing penalties for platforms that fail to enforce the restrictions.

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