Australia's Social Media Ban for Teens Shows Minimal Effect

WHO:

Techmeme - Australia's online safety regulator is involved in monitoring social media use among under-16s.

WHAT:

Techmeme - Social media use among under-16s in Australia fell to 81.5% in March 2026, down from 85.9% before the ban took effect.

Engadget - Nearly 22 percent of children are on Pinterest.

Techmeme - The social media ban for under-16s led to only a marginal reduction in underage users in its first three months.

WHERE:

Techmeme - The data pertains to Australia.

WHEN:

Techmeme - The social media ban took effect in December 2025.

Techmeme - The reported social media use statistic of 81.5% is from March 2026.

WHY:

Engadget - The article suggests that the social media ban was intended to limit access for under-16s.

HOW:

Techmeme - The online safety regulator is tracking changes in social media usage statistics among underage users following the implementation of the ban.

(UPDATED July 31, 2026 16:32 UTC)

Australia's online safety regulator is actively monitoring social media use among users under 16, following a ban that took effect in December 2025. As of March 2026, social media usage among this age group has decreased to 81.5%, down from 85.9% before the ban, although the reduction has been only marginal in the first three months. Interestingly, nearly 22 percent of children are still using Pinterest, highlighting the ongoing challenges in limiting access for underage users.