Australia's social media ban fails to curb teen usage, study finds
Australia's social media ban has failed
Despite Australia's world-first ban on social media for under-16s, a new study reveals that over 80% of teens are still online three months after the restrictions took effect. The government defends the ban as a 'game changer' in parental conversations, but the eSafety research shows usage levels unchanged and parental awareness declining. The ban, introduced in December over mental health concerns, has drawn criticism from US-based tech companies and prompted plans for tougher enforcement.
We never expected that this would have 100% compliance. We don't get 100% compliance out of minimum drinking age laws, but it's still appropriate that we have that law on the books.