By Dr Will Dobud, Charles Sturt University School of Social Work and Arts:

Six months after Australia implemented its world-first ban on social media for under-16s, the results offer a sobering lesson for the United Kingdom as it moves to follow suit. 

While the policy aims to shield children from online harms, Australia’s experience shows that the intent, though politically popular, has produced mixed results and significant unintended consequences. 

The ban forced social media platforms to delete nearly five million underage accounts in its first month, with hopes of pushing young Australians toward offline activities. Initially, some parents reported benefits, such as reduced screentime, better sleep, improved family interaction, and less exposure to cyberbullying. 

While claims of research that justifies the blunt instrument that is Australia’s social media ban are inconclusive at best, surveys and parental control data tell us that, six months in, the ban is not working - at least not as intended. 

There has been only a marginal decline in under-16 social media use. Around two-thirds of young people continue to access platforms through workarounds such as false ages, shared accounts or VPNs. Enforcement relies on age verification systems that remain easy to bypass. As cyber safety expert Susan McLean noted, you “cannot ban your way to safety” given the vast number of platforms available. 

Government data from March found that about 70 per cent of children remained active on major platforms. A survey of 1,027 Australians aged 10–16 found most were “not affected,” while only 26 per cent reported a significant change. 

More than half of young people surveyed reported difficulty accessing news, raising concerns about declining exposure to information at a time when civic knowledge in Australia is already at a 20-year low. With the UK’s governing Labour Party moving to reduce the voting age to 16, this means young people there could be walking into polling booths without access to their preferred news sites. 

The policy has also created barriers for vulnerable groups. Disability advocates report that social media remains a vital lifeline for isolated young people. More than 75 per cent of young people with disabilities aged 16–25 reported accessibility issues with verification systems, and no under-16 respondents said they felt safer online. 

There are also early signs of unintended mental health impacts. Three months into the ban, youth mental health service headspace reported that one in 10 young people seeking help cited the ban as a contributing factor. At the same time, three out of five young people remain active on restricted accounts, making it difficult to measure any real mental health benefit. 

Overall, Australia’s social media ban has not delivered its core promise. It has achieved partial compliance but failed to significantly reduce access or address deeper issues like harmful content and platform design. 

As the UK prepares its own version, the lesson is clear: protecting children online requires education, digital literacy and harm reduction - not just prohibition.