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SYDNEY, Australia — Australia’s internet regulator said major social media platforms are failing to fully enforce a nationwide ban on users under 16, months after the law took effect in December 2025. Officials are now shifting from monitoring compliance to active enforcement as concerns grow over weak safeguards and continued youth access.
The report found “significant concerns” with how platforms are implementing the restrictions, citing gaps in age verification and account controls. Regulators said some companies allow previously flagged underage users to re-verify their age, repeatedly attempt verification methods, and create new accounts with limited barriers.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said early efforts by companies have not gone far enough to meet legal requirements.
“While social media platforms have taken some initial action, I am concerned some may not be doing enough to comply with Australian law,” Inman Grant said.
She said compliance requires more than identifying isolated violations.
“The evidence must establish the platform has not taken reasonable steps to prevent children aged under 16 from having an account,” she said. “[Platforms must show] appropriate systems and processes.”
The law applies to 10 platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube, and was introduced to limit children’s exposure to harmful content and addictive algorithms.
About 4.7 million accounts were restricted or removed in the first month of implementation. However, regulators said many under-16 users continue to access services.
A visit to a Sydney school found most students still had access to social media, with some bypassing verification systems or not being asked to verify their age at all.
Inman Grant acknowledged that broader change will take time but said companies already have the tools to comply.
“Durable, generational change takes time but these platforms have the capability to comply today,” she said.
She also warned of resistance from technology firms.
“Any cultural change that pushes against Big Tech, those players will push back, but we continue to push ahead,” she said.
The policy has drawn mixed public reaction. Many parents support the measure, saying it strengthens their ability to limit children’s social media use. Others question whether the ban is enforceable and argue that education may be more effective than outright prohibition.
Critics also warn the restrictions could disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, including rural youth, disabled teenagers and LGBTQ+ users who rely on online communities for support.
The regulator said it will now begin formal enforcement and evidence gathering, focusing on whether companies have taken “reasonable steps” to prevent underage access. Increased regulatory pressure on technology firms is expected in the coming months.