Australia’s world-first social media ban for children under 16 is facing renewed scrutiny after new research revealed many children are still using social media platforms.

The eSafety Commission found that more than two in five children aged 10 to 15 continue to have social media accounts despite the ban.
The report says many underage users were able to bypass age checks by providing false birth dates or were not asked to verify their age at all.
While some platforms saw a decline in underage accounts, others showed little change, raising concerns about the effectiveness of enforcement.
The Federal Government says it remains committed to the law and is considering tougher penalties for technology companies that fail to comply.
The findings have reignited calls for stronger age verification systems to better protect Australian children online.