Study: Australia's under-16 social media ban failing

Australia's internet regulator has released a new study revealing that teenagers are still actively using social media, despite the country's ban on under-16s. The findings suggest that the restriction is not achieving its intended effect.

The study, conducted by the national online watchdog, shows that young people are finding ways to bypass the ban and continue using popular platforms. The regulator indicated that age verification systems and other protective measures are not sufficiently effective to deter minors from accessing social networks.

This situation raises questions about the feasibility of age-based restrictions in the digital environment. While the ban was introduced to protect children and teenagers from potential online threats, the study's results demonstrate that simple regulatory limits, without effective technical implementation and enforcement, do not deliver the desired outcomes.

Experts note that such findings could prompt Australian authorities to reconsider their approach and seek additional solutions, such as more robust age verification methods or closer cooperation with platforms to ensure compliance. For now, however, the study officially confirms what many have long warned about — a ban alone is not enough to change young people's digital habits.