Victoria
Most Australian teenagers still using social media despite ban
A new report reveals that more than 80 per cent of local teenagers continue to access restricted online platforms.
More than eight in 10 Australian teenagers are continuing to use social media forums three months after the federal government introduced its landmark ban, according to a wire report. The data suggests the vast majority of underage users are actively flouting the restrictions, raising immediate questions about the efficacy of the legislation.
The high rate of ongoing usage has been linked directly to a lack of robust age verification checks on popular platforms. Under the laws, technology companies bear the responsibility of keeping teenagers off their services. However, the report highlights that these measures have so far failed to prevent the bulk of underage Australians from accessing their accounts.
As the details of the report are thin, it is not yet confirmed which specific social media platforms are being most widely bypassed, or which methods teenagers are using to circumvent the ban. It is also unclear whether enforcement agencies have begun auditing the platforms or if any penalty notices have been issued to non-compliant tech firms.
The landmark ban was introduced in an effort to curb the negative impacts of social media on youth mental health. However, without functional and reliable age verification mechanisms in place, the legislation appears to have had little practical effect on teenage behaviour during its first three months.
Exactly how federal authorities plan to bridge the gap between policy and technological enforcement remains to be seen. No official comments have been confirmed from the major social media companies regarding their failure to block underage Australian accounts.
Watch for whether the federal government will introduce stricter enforcement measures or technical guidelines to compel social media companies to comply with the ban.
This report draws on original reporting by Wire report.
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