A report by Australia’s online safety regulator has revealed that many children in the country are accessing social media platforms despite age restrictions.
The study, released on Thursday, comes as the government prepares to enforce a ban preventing those under 16 from using such services.
The report, based on a national survey of children aged eight to 15, examined responses from major platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitch.
Findings showed that 80% of children aged eight to 12 were using social media in 2024, with YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat being the most popular choices.
Although most platforms require users to provide their birth dates during sign-up, the report found that they rely solely on self-reported information without additional verification measures.
While some platforms like TikTok and YouTube have tools to detect underage users, others do not use available technology to enforce the rules.
In November, Australia approved a law to ban social media access for those under 16, set to take effect by the end of 2025.
YouTube will be exempt from this rule, as it allows younger users to access content under parental supervision through family accounts.
However, the report noted that no accounts of eight to 12-year-olds were shut down due to age restrictions.
Ninety-five percent of teens under 16 were found to be using at least one of the eight platforms surveyed.
Some companies are working on improving age verification, while others provide options for users to report underage accounts.
Several social media firms, including Meta, TikTok, and Twitch, have stated that they are investing in better tools to identify and remove accounts of users who do not meet the age requirement.
