Australian teenagers nonetheless accessing TikTok and Snapchat regardless of social media ban

A recent report has revealed that a significant number of Australian teenagers under 16 are still accessing social media platforms, two months after a nationwide ban came into effect, raising questions about the efficacy of age-verification systems.

Data from parental control software firm Qustodio indicates that over 20 per cent of 13-to-15-year-olds continued to use popular apps like TikTok and Snapchat between December and February.

While usage among this age group did fall from pre-ban levels, the persistent figures highlight a challenge to the new regulations.

This marks some of the first insights into youth online behaviour since Australia implemented the ban, a move now being emulated by other governments globally.

While the Australian government and several universities are monitoring the ban’s effects, their findings are yet to be published.

Qustodio’s report, based on data collected from Australian families, noted: “Among children whose parents haven’t blocked access, a meaningful number continue to use restricted platforms in the months following the ban.”

The legislation mandates that platforms, including Meta’s Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, Google’s YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat, must prevent access for individuals under 16, or face substantial fines of up to A$49.5 million ($35 million).

The continued usage figures, however, cast doubt on the current effectiveness of these age-gating measures.

A spokesperson for internet regulator the eSafety Commissioner said the office was aware of reports some under-16s remained on social media and was “actively engaging with platforms and their age assurance providers … while continuing to monitor for any systemic failures that may amount to a breach of the law”.

The regulator was “actively drawing on a range of insights to assess compliance,” the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for communications minister Anika Wells said the government had always been clear “that increasing the minimum age to access social media is a cultural change that will take time”.

A representative for Snapchat was not immediately available for comment. A TikTok spokesperson declined to comment.

The Qustodio data showed the number of Australians aged 13-15 using Snapchat tumbled 13.8 percentage points to 20.3 per cent from November to February, while the number in that age group using TikTok fell 5.7 percentage points to 21.2 per cent.

The number in that age group using YouTube dipped by one percentage point to 36.9 per cent, although the data did not specify whether the users were logged into accounts. The Australian ban allows people of all ages to use YouTube without logging in.

Australian teenage social media use typically dips in December and January due to the country’s long summer school break, but the data showed a steeper decline than the previous year, suggesting the ban had an impact, Qustodio said.

But “some dips seen in December-January are slowly beginning to recover”, the report added.

Fears that teenagers might migrate to unregulated platforms have not materialised, the data showed, although WhatsApp recorded a small uptick in use among 13-15-year-olds.

Source: independent.co.uk