Two months after Australia banned social media for under-16s, about 20% of teens still used platforms like TikTok and Snapchat despite the law.

Two months after Australia banned social media use for under-16s, about one-fifth of teens aged 13 to 15 were still using platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, according to Qustodio data. Usage dropped to 21.2% for TikTok and 20.3% for Snapchat, though significant access remains, especially among teens whose parents didn’t block the apps. The ban, which imposes fines up to A$49.5 million, requires platforms to restrict minors, but age verification challenges persist. YouTube use also declined slightly, though unlogged access remains possible. No major shift to unregulated platforms occurred, but WhatsApp saw a minor rise in teen use. The eSafety Commissioner is monitoring compliance, and no official impact studies have been released yet.