Social media use among Australian children under 16 is rising again months after the country introduced restrictions intended to keep younger users off major platforms.
Data from parental control software provider Qustodio indicates that usage initially declined after Australia’s social media restrictions took effect in December. Since then, however, activity on several popular apps has increased, with some approaching levels recorded before the rules were introduced.
The trend can be seen among both 10-to-12-year-olds and 13-to-15-year-olds using platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. TikTok use among 13-to-15-year-olds reached 25.9%, placing it only slightly more than one percentage point below its pre-restriction level. Among children aged 10 to 12, TikTok usage was just 0.06 percentage points lower than before the measures took effect.
Qustodio measured anonymized monthly app activity among Australian children. A child was counted as having used a particular social media service when the app was active for more than five consecutive minutes at least once during a given month.
The figures do not establish how children are continuing to access restricted services. Qustodio online safety expert Yasmin London suggested several possible explanations, including the use of VPNs or users providing inaccurate ages. She also raised the possibility that existing restrictions are simply failing to prevent some underage accounts from accessing the platforms.
At the same time, Qustodio recorded growing use of WhatsApp, which is not covered by Australia’s social media restrictions. This suggests that at least some younger users are increasing their activity on communication services that remain available to them.
Australia introduced the restrictions as a child-safety measure, with officials citing concerns including online bullying and algorithms that can expose young users to potentially harmful content.
Questions remain, however, about how effectively legislation can change teenagers’ online habits. A peer-reviewed study by Australian researchers published in June found little evidence that teenagers had substantially moved away from social media following the restrictions.
Australia’s approach is also influencing policy discussions elsewhere. The UK and France have pursued measures targeting younger users’ access to social media, while New Zealand announced this week that it plans to introduce its own legislation.
Under the proposed New Zealand framework, social media companies that fail to meet the requirements could face penalties reaching as high as 10% of their global revenue.
The latest Australian usage figures indicate that the initial decline following the restrictions has not been sustained across several major platforms. For TikTok in particular, usage among the two measured under-16 age groups has already moved close to the levels recorded before the rules took effect.