As more regions consider restricting teenage access to social media, two major challenges stand in the way of effective implementation.
The first challenge is age verification. Platforms need systems that can reliably prevent younger teens from accessing social apps. So far, no system has proven fully effective. Without a clear, standardized method, enforcement gaps remain. Teens can easily bypass restrictions, making age checks ineffective.
The second challenge is consistent implementation across platforms. Any restrictions must apply to all major social apps to prevent children from migrating to alternative, potentially unsafe platforms. Experiments so far have failed to address this, meaning bans on teen social media use have had limited impact.
Australia recently provided a real-world example. Its under-16 social media ban, introduced four months ago, was reviewed in the first official report by the eSafety Office. The report surveyed 898 parents and carers of children aged 8 to 15. Findings showed that 70% of children under 16 are still using social apps. Reports of online harm have not declined since the law was enacted in December, indicating the policy’s early results are weak.
The eSafety Commission has said it will increase focus on platform compliance and may take further action against violators by mid-year. While this could remove some teens from apps, the approach faces inherent limitations. The law relies on each company to follow rules without a unified enforcement standard.
The legislation states that: “A provider of an age‑restricted social media platform must take reasonable steps to prevent age‑restricted users from having accounts with the age‑restricted social media platform.” However, no official age-checking method has been mandated.
Australia explored over 60 technologies from 48 age assurance vendors, identifying potential solutions. Yet, without a definitive provider or standard, enforcement depends on how each platform interprets “reasonable steps.” This leads to inconsistent compliance and makes it hard for authorities to penalize platforms effectively.
Until both robust age verification and uniform platform enforcement are established, teenage social media bans will likely remain ineffective. Governments and regulators must address both challenges to make meaningful progress.
