Episode 20: Has Australia's Under-16 Social Media Ban Actually Worked?

In Episode 20 of Influencing Outcomes, Nathan Powell, Ben Gunn and Eliza Lewis revisit Australia's under-16 social media ban six months after it came into effect to assess what the legislation has actually achieved. Since implementation, millions of accounts have been removed, governments around the world have begun pursuing similar policies and new research has emerged into how young Australians have responded.

Rather than revisiting the political debate surrounding the legislation, the conversation examines the outcomes. Has the ban changed behaviour? What does the latest research tell us about its effectiveness? And if the objective is to better protect young people online, where should governments, platforms, schools and parents focus their attention next?

Australia Has Changed the Global Conversation

Australia's under-16 social media ban was always going to be closely watched.

As the first legislation of its kind, it represented a significant shift in how governments approach social media regulation. For years, online safety had largely been treated as a platform responsibility. Australia's legislation signalled that governments were now prepared to intervene directly.

Six months later, that influence is becoming increasingly clear.

Countries including the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Canada have all begun exploring similar approaches, positioning Australia as an early case study for future digital regulation. While each proposal differs in its detail, they reflect a broader shift in thinking. Governments are becoming less willing to leave online safety entirely in the hands of technology companies.

Whether the legislation ultimately proves successful or not, it has already achieved one important outcome. It has accelerated a global discussion about where responsibility for protecting young people online should sit.

Compliance Is One Thing. Behaviour Is Another.

One of the most widely reported outcomes of the legislation was the removal, restriction or deactivation of approximately 4.7 million accounts across major social platforms.

From a compliance perspective, that is a significant result.

The platforms responded quickly, invested in enforcement and demonstrated they were prepared to comply with the new requirements. Removing millions of accounts is not a trivial exercise, and it suggests the legislation has been taken seriously by the companies responsible for implementing it.

The more difficult question is whether compliance has translated into meaningful behavioural change.

Research discussed throughout the episode suggests many young Australians adapted quickly by using shared family accounts, creating new profiles or finding other ways around age verification. While access became more difficult, social media use did not disappear.

That distinction matters because policy outcomes are rarely measured by implementation alone. Restricting access is one objective. Changing behaviour is another.

Is Social Media the Cause, or the Place Where the Problem Appears?

One of the central themes throughout the discussion is whether social media itself is responsible for many of the issues governments are attempting to address.

Cyberbullying, social exclusion, peer pressure and unrealistic expectations are all genuine challenges facing young people today. The question is whether these behaviours originate with social media, or whether social media has simply amplified problems that already existed.

Technology has undoubtedly changed the scale, speed and visibility of these issues. Harmful behaviour can now spread further, remain visible for longer and reach audiences that were never possible before.

At the same time, many of the underlying behaviours pre-date social media itself.

Understanding that distinction is important because it influences how success should be measured. If legislation reduces exposure but the underlying behaviours continue elsewhere, then policymakers may be addressing one part of a much larger challenge.

Digital Literacy May Be Just As Important As Regulation

While the panel holds differing views on the legislation itself, one area of agreement emerges throughout the conversation.

Preparing young people for an increasingly digital world requires more than restricting access.

Digital literacy, critical thinking and responsible technology use are becoming essential skills for navigating modern life. Understanding how algorithms influence recommendations, recognising misinformation, managing screen time and identifying harmful online behaviour are skills that remain valuable regardless of which platform is popular at any given time.

Technology will continue evolving.

The platforms young people use today will not necessarily be the platforms they use five or ten years from now. Building critical thinking skills therefore provides benefits that extend well beyond any individual policy or application.

Rather than viewing regulation and education as competing approaches, the discussion suggests they should work together as complementary parts of the same solution.

Social Media Has Become More Than Entertainment

The conversation also explores the broader role social media now plays in young people's lives.

Research discussed during the episode suggests some young Australians affected by the restrictions are now consuming less news and current affairs content than they were previously.

That finding highlights how social media has evolved.

For many younger audiences, social platforms are no longer used solely for entertainment or communication. They are increasingly where people discover news, learn about current events, follow public figures and participate in broader cultural conversations.

Whether that trend is viewed positively or negatively is open to debate, but it reinforces an important point. Social media now performs multiple functions simultaneously, meaning any legislation affecting access has implications that extend well beyond social networking alone.

Protecting Young People Online Requires a Broader Approach

Six months on, Australia's under-16 social media ban has clearly influenced both the policy conversation and platform behaviour.

It has prompted governments around the world to examine similar legislation, encouraged platforms to strengthen age verification and placed greater public attention on online safety.

At the same time, the discussion highlights the complexity of measuring success.

Protecting young people online cannot be achieved through legislation alone. Platforms have a responsibility to improve safety. Schools have an opportunity to strengthen digital literacy. Parents play a critical role in building resilience and healthy technology habits. Governments remain responsible for creating policy frameworks that balance protection with education and long-term behavioural change.

The under-16 social media ban has become an important first step in a much larger conversation. As more evidence emerges over the coming years, the focus is likely to shift from whether governments should act to how regulation, education and technology can work together to create better outcomes for young people online.

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