With the eyes of the world’s regulators on Australia, and its implementation of its under-16 social media ban, it’s price checking in on the newest updates within the area, and the way it’s getting into retaining children out of the app.
As I’ve reported a number of instances, I’m in Australia, and I’ve teenage youngsters, and I can let you know, by my discussions with them and their buddies, that none of them have been considerably impacted by the change, with most, if not all, nonetheless utilizing social media as they all the time have.
But, the numbers shared by the platforms themselves inform a considerably totally different story, with Snapchat reporting that it’s locked or disabled over 415,000 Snapchat accounts in Australia belonging to customers “who both declared an age beneath 16 or who we consider to be beneath 16 based mostly on our age detection expertise.”
Meta not too long ago reported that it’s blocked 544k accounts in Australia in compliance with the identical, which, together, ought to imply that an enormous chunk of teenagers aren’t in a position to entry social media in any respect in AUS.
However that’s not what’s occurring in apply, with many teenagers switching to a different account (I’d have an interest to know if there’s been a relative enhance in new account creation), evading detection measures, or just utilizing the apps with out logging in.
There are additionally technical implementation points, as highlighted by Snap, that are nonetheless seeing many slip by these new digital security nets:
“There are actual technical limitations to correct and reliable age verification. The Australian authorities’s personal trial, revealed in 2025, discovered that obtainable age estimation expertise was solely correct to inside 2-3 years on common. In apply, this implies some younger folks beneath 16 might be able to bypass protections, probably leaving them with lowered safeguards, whereas others over 16 could incorrectly lose entry.”
This has all the time been a key flaw within the Australian strategy, that it opted to not go together with a single technique and system that every one platforms could be required to abide by, and as an alternative supplied a fundamental set of pointers on how the platforms ought to implement age checking.
Conceptually, this can guarantee a extra stage enjoying subject, with less-equipped platforms nonetheless in a position to abide by the legal guidelines by cheaper, much less taxing means. However with out a longtime normal, and a set strategy for all apps, that can make enforcement tough, as a result of every platform remains to be going it alone, and implementing totally different approaches to age detection.
A few of them will likely be efficient, some received’t, and in the long run, there’s going to be no manner for the Australian authorities to legally implement variable guidelines when in search of to handle implementation.
Snapchat additionally, as soon as once more, notes that the shortage of an industry-wide strategy on social media companies will trigger additional points, with the brand new legal guidelines solely focusing on particular, massive social apps.
“Younger folks received’t cease speaking once they lose entry to regulated companies. Over 75% of time spent on Snapchat in Australia is messaging with shut family and friends. We’re involved that when younger individuals are minimize off from these communication instruments, some could flip to various messaging companies that aren’t being regulated – companies which may be much less well-known and provide fewer security protections than Snapchat gives. Whereas we do not but have information to quantify this shift, it is a threat that deserves severe consideration as policymakers consider whether or not the legislation is reaching its meant outcomes.”
Which is 100% appropriate, and counters, to some extent, the Australian Prime Minister’s statements on the beneath 16 ban when the brand new rules had been introduced.
In declaring the brand new crackdown on teen social media use, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged teenagers to “begin a brand new sport, study a brand new instrument, or learn that ebook” as options to social media use.
That’s idealism, not life like, measured coverage, and the actual fact is that teenagers are going to discover a strategy to keep related on-line, whether or not it’s by way of the most important platforms or not.
Digital connection is now central to how teenagers talk, and their interactive course of extra broadly. To recommend {that a} ban on sure social media platforms will result in extra youngsters using bikes and making cubby homes as soon as once more is unaware of this actuality, and performs extra to the older voting base, who would like issues to return to the best way they had been.
However they received’t.
So whereas the numbers recommend that the Australian teen social ban is limiting publicity, by banning tons of of 1000’s of teenagers from their accounts, I can let you know, that’s not what’s occurring.
It’s additionally not what’s going to occur, and a greater strategy could be to double down on digital literacy schooling, versus hoping to limit teenagers from social apps.
