Australia's Under-16 Social Media Ban: What Parents Still Need to Do

The Ban Is Here. Now What?

On December 10, 2025, Australia became the first country in the world to ban children under 16 from holding accounts on major social media platforms. Within weeks, 4.7 million accounts were deactivated across Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads), YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, X, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick.

It's a historic move. And it's not enough.

As one parent put it in response to the ban: "I was relying on the government to clean it up for the kids." That sentiment — hoping external forces will solve the problem — is exactly why so many families are still struggling.

What the First Month Has Shown Us

The Good News

The ban has real teeth. Millions of accounts were shut down. Many children did lose access to platforms that were harming them. Parents who wanted to set limits now have government backing — they're no longer "the only strict one" among their child's friend group.

One parent shared: "This ban will make it easier for us to keep the 11-year-old off it when he goes to high school. No smartphone for him and we have more knowledge. Plus less of his friends will be on it."

For younger children — those currently 8-12 who won't grow up assuming social media is inevitable — this could be transformative.

The Reality Check

But the workarounds have already begun:

• Facial age estimation is easily fooled. Kids are passing verification checks designed to detect their age.
• New accounts with fake birthdates. One teen reported being kicked off Snapchat on December 10, then creating a new account with a different email within a month.
• Not all platforms are enforcing equally. Some children report never being asked to verify their age at all.
• Parents are helping circumvent. Some parents are actively assisting their children in getting around the ban.

As one commenter noted: "My 15yo shut down her Insta and then opened a new one as a 17yo. No questions asked."

The Shift You Might Miss

Here's what many parents haven't noticed: the ban doesn't reduce screen time — it shifts where kids spend it.

An 11-year-old from Broken Hill, locked out of YouTube, told reporters: "It hasn't helped me stop using my electronics... I still use them the same amount, but I just go on to Netflix or listen to stuff on Spotify now."

This is the fundamental limitation of platform-level bans. Block Instagram, and kids move to BeReal. Block TikTok, and they shift to YouTube Shorts. Block social media entirely, and they're on Netflix, Spotify, gaming, or whatever comes next.

The device doesn't change. The hours don't change. Only the apps change.

What Actually Works: Device-Level Oversight

A psychologist and mother of two teen girls — someone who specializes in teen anxiety — shared her experience: "We did ban them in our home but they found ways to get on them."

Even professional expertise isn't enough when kids are determined and platforms make it easy to circumvent.

What she asked for: "Would love to see a way parents can report their teens are finding workarounds. This would add to the analytics and strengthen identification processes."

Device-level monitoring solves this differently. Instead of relying on platforms to enforce age restrictions, you see activity directly on your child's phone — regardless of which app they're using.

When your child creates a new social media account with a fake birthday, you'll know. When they shift from YouTube to Netflix, you'll see the hours. When they download a new app you've never heard of, you'll get notified.

This isn't about surveillance. It's about having the information you need for credible conversations. As that same psychologist put it: she wanted data so discussions with her teens had "the credibility they demand, about the impacts instead of it being their annoying psych's Mum over-reaction."

The Cigarette Model: This Is Generational

One of the most insightful comments on the ban compared it to cigarette restrictions: "If you look at how many under-16s buy cigs today versus the 70s, I think you'll find there's been a significant reduction... that's all this policy can do, protect a majority."

This reframes expectations entirely. Perfect enforcement was never the goal. The point is to change culture over time.

The ban may not help current 15-year-olds much. But for children who are 8 today? They'll grow up in a world where social media before 16 is clearly against the rules — not a grey area parents navigate alone.

For parents of younger children, this is your window. The combination of:

• Government-backed age restrictions
• Reduced peer pressure ("less of his friends will be on it")
• Your own device-level oversight

...creates the best conditions we've ever had for raising digitally healthy kids.

Five Actions for Australian Parents

1. Don't Assume the Ban Did Your Job

The government set the expectation. Platforms are (imperfectly) enforcing it. But you're still the one who hands your child a device with internet access.

Check what's actually on their phone. Know which accounts exist. Verify the ban worked for your family specifically.

2. Shift from Platform Thinking to Device Thinking

Instead of asking "Is my child on Instagram?" ask "What is my child doing on their phone?"

Screen time, app usage, web activity — this is what matters. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are today's concerns. Tomorrow there will be new apps. Device-level visibility stays relevant.

3. Start Earlier Than You Think

The parents who are struggling most? Those with 14 and 15-year-olds who have years of social media habits ingrained.

The parents who feel most confident? Those with 10 and 11-year-olds who haven't started yet.

If your child hasn't entered the social media world, you have leverage you won't have later. Use it.

4. Use Data for Conversations, Not Confrontations

The goal isn't to catch your child doing something wrong. It's to have informed discussions about digital habits.

"I noticed you spent 3 hours on YouTube yesterday — what were you watching?" is more productive than "Are you on YouTube too much?"

Data creates credibility. Credibility enables conversation.

5. Accept Imperfection

Some kids will get around the ban. Some parents will help them. Your child might see content you'd rather they didn't.

But friction reduces usage — even when kids circumvent controls, their overall engagement drops. Barriers matter even when they're not perfect.

As one parent said: "Whilst my kids are successfully circumventing controls when it suits them; their use has dropped off."

The Long View

A telling comment from the public discussion: "Come on — it's been 1 month... at least wait 12 months / 3 years / 5 years / 10 years to see the results."

This is generational change, not a quick fix. The real results will show up when today's 8-year-olds are 16 — kids who grew up knowing the rules, with parents who had better tools, in a culture that normalised limits.

Until then, the ban is one layer of protection. Your own oversight is another. Neither is sufficient alone.

The government set the expectation. Now it's your turn to enforce it in your home.

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