Sydney (AFP) – Australian under-16s are increasing their use of social media apps such as Instagram and TikTok despite a ban implemented in December 2025, according to data from parental control software company Qustodio released on Wednesday.
The legislation aimed to restrict children's access to social media platforms, with similar measures being adopted by the UK, France, and other countries. Initial data indicated a decline in social media usage among young users following the introduction of the legal restrictions. However, recent data shows a resurgence in their social media activity, nearing pre-ban levels for certain applications.
Specifically, the usage of TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat among 10-12 year olds and 13-15 year olds has been reported to be increasing. As of the latest data, 25.9 percent of 13-15 year-olds are still using TikTok, which is only slightly below the usage rate prior to the ban. For 10-12 year olds, the usage is just 0.06 percentage points lower than before the restrictions were enacted.
Yasmin London, Global Online Safety Expert for Qustodio, suggested that children might be circumventing the ban through VPNs or by misrepresenting their ages. She noted, "But it could really be as simple as they're just accessing these apps because the restrictions aren't working."
Additionally, the data indicates an increase in the use of WhatsApp, a messaging platform not impacted by the ban. Qustodio's findings were based on anonymized monthly usage data, measuring the percentage of children who used each app for more than five consecutive minutes at least once during the month.
Australian officials have stated that the ban aims to protect children from online bullying and harmful algorithms. However, a peer-reviewed study published in June by a team of Australia-based researchers found little evidence that teenagers have significantly reduced their social media use as a result of the ban.
In related news, New Zealand's government announced plans to introduce legislation that could impose fines of up to 10 percent of global revenue on companies like Meta if they fail to comply with similar regulations.