National
One in five Australian teens still on TikTok, Snapchat after ban
Australia’s teen social media ban has reduced activity on major platforms, but some teenagers remain active online. A Qustodio report found more than one-fifth of teens aged 13–15 still use TikTok and Snapchat months after the nationwide under-16 restriction began.
Australia’s teen social media ban has lowered usage on TikTok and Snapchat, but new data shows some teenagers still access platforms while regulators continue monitoring enforcement and improving age-verification systems.
Key Highlights
- Qustodio report shows more than one-fifth of Australian teens still using TikTok and Snapchat after restrictions.
- Snapchat usage among teens dropped to 20.3%, while TikTok usage declined to 21.2%.
- Platforms risk fines up to A$49.5 million if they fail to block under-16 users.
- Around 4.7 million under-16 social media accounts were removed during early enforcement.
Australia teen social media ban data shows that more than one-fifth of teenagers aged 13 to 15 are still using TikTok and Snapchat months after the restriction took effect in December 2025.
A report by parental-control software company Qustodio, based on monitored device activity, found that some teenagers continue accessing major platforms despite the nationwide rule that blocks social media accounts for users under 16.
The Australian teen social media ban requires platforms to prevent users under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. Companies that fail to take reasonable steps to enforce the rule can face fines of up to A$49.5 million under the country’s online safety legislation.
Teen usage declines after restrictions
Data in the Qustodio report shows a noticeable drop in social media use following the Australia teen social media ban, though activity has not fully stopped.
Snapchat use among teenagers aged 13–15 declined 13.8 percentage points to 20.3%, while TikTok usage fell 5.7 percentage points to 21.2% after the restrictions were introduced.
YouTube remained the most widely accessed platform among teenagers in the study. Around 36.9% of teens continued to view content on the platform, partly because videos can often be watched without logging into an account.
Enforcement and compliance measures
The Australian teen social media ban came into force on 10 December 2025, making the country the first to introduce a nationwide minimum age of 16 for social media accounts.
Early compliance data from Australia’s internet safety regulator showed that social media companies removed or restricted around 4.7 million accounts linked to under-16 users during the initial phase of enforcement.
Authorities are continuing discussions with technology companies about improving age-verification systems to strengthen compliance with the Australian teen social media ban.
Policy debates expand globally
The Australian teen social media ban has prompted discussions in several countries examining similar measures aimed at younger internet users.
Governments in France, Spain, Germany, Greece and the United Kingdom have reviewed stronger age-verification rules or parental consent requirements for teenage social media access.
Researchers monitoring the Australian teen social media ban say there is no clear evidence yet that teenagers are shifting in large numbers to alternative social platforms.
FAQs
Q1. What is the Australia teen social media ban?
It is a national rule requiring platforms to block users under 16 from creating or holding social media accounts.
Q2. Are Australian teens still using TikTok and Snapchat after the ban?
Yes. A report found more than one-fifth of teens aged 13–15 still access the platforms.
Q3. When did the Australia teen social media ban take effect?
The restriction came into force on 10 December 2025 across major social media platforms.
Q4. What penalties do companies face for violating the ban?
Platforms can face fines of up to A$49.5 million if they fail to prevent under-16 users.
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