With the eyes of the world’s regulators on Australia, and its implementation of its under-16 social media ban, it’s value checking in on the most recent updates within the area, and the way it’s stepping into maintaining kids out of the app.

As I’ve reported a number of instances, I’m in Australia, and I’ve teenage youngsters, and I can let you know, by my discussions with them and their buddies, that none of them have been considerably impacted by the change, with most, if not all, nonetheless utilizing social media as they at all times have.

But, the numbers shared by the platforms themselves inform a considerably totally different story, with Snapchat reporting that it’s locked or disabled over 415,000 Snapchat accounts in Australia belonging to customers “who both declared an age below 16 or who we imagine to be below 16 based mostly on our age detection expertise.”

Meta just lately reported that it’s blocked 544k accounts in Australia in compliance with the identical, which, together, ought to imply that an enormous chunk of teenagers are usually not capable of entry social media in any respect in AUS.

However that’s not what’s occurring in observe, with many teenagers switching to a different account (I’d have an interest to know if there’s been a relative improve in new account creation), evading detection measures, or just utilizing the apps with out logging in.

There are additionally technical implementation points, as highlighted by Snap, that are nonetheless seeing many slip by these new digital security nets:

“There are actual technical limitations to correct and reliable age verification. The Australian authorities’s personal trial, printed in 2025, discovered that accessible age estimation expertise was solely correct to inside 2-3 years on common. In observe, this implies some younger folks below 16 could possibly bypass protections, doubtlessly leaving them with lowered safeguards, whereas others over 16 might incorrectly lose entry.”

This has at all times been a key flaw within the Australian strategy, that it opted to not go together with a single technique and system that every one platforms can be required to abide by, and as a substitute offered a primary set of pointers on how the platforms ought to implement age checking.

Conceptually, this can guarantee a extra degree taking part in subject, with less-equipped platforms nonetheless capable of abide by the legal guidelines by cheaper, much less taxing means. However with out a longtime commonplace, and a set strategy for all apps, that may make enforcement tough, as a result of every platform continues to be going it alone, and implementing totally different approaches to age detection.

A few of them shall be efficient, some received’t, and ultimately, there’s going to be no means for the Australian authorities to legally implement variable guidelines when searching for to deal with implementation.

Snapchat additionally, as soon as once more, notes that the dearth of an industry-wide strategy on social media providers will trigger additional points, with the brand new legal guidelines solely focusing on particular, giant social apps.  

“Younger folks received’t cease speaking once they lose entry to regulated providers. Over 75% of time spent on Snapchat in Australia is messaging with shut family and friends. We’re involved that when younger individuals are minimize off from these communication instruments, some might flip to different messaging providers that aren’t being regulated – providers that could be much less well-known and provide fewer security protections than Snapchat offers. Whereas we do not but have information to quantify this shift, it is a danger that deserves severe consideration as policymakers consider whether or not the regulation is reaching its supposed outcomes.”

Which is 100% appropriate, and counters, to some extent, the Australian Prime Minister’s statements on the below 16 ban when the brand new laws had been introduced.

In declaring the brand new crackdown on teen social media use, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged teenagers to “begin a brand new sport, be taught a brand new instrument, or learn that guide” as alternate options to social media use.

That’s idealism, not sensible, measured coverage, and the very fact is that teenagers are going to discover a option to keep linked on-line, whether or not it’s by way of the most important platforms or not.

Digital connection is now central to how teenagers talk, and their interactive course of extra broadly. To counsel {that a} ban on sure social media platforms will result in extra youngsters using bikes and making cubby homes as soon as once more is unaware of this actuality, and performs extra to the older voting base, who would like issues to return to the way in which they had been.

However they received’t.

So whereas the numbers counsel that the Australian teen social ban is limiting publicity, by banning a whole bunch of 1000’s of teenagers from their accounts, I can let you know, that’s not what’s occurring.

It’s additionally not what’s going to occur, and a greater strategy can be to double down on digital literacy training, versus hoping to limit teenagers from social apps.