Since Australia's ban on social media accounts for minors under age 16 went into force two months ago, several jurisdictions around the world have introduced legislation aimed at mimicking the limitations and protections.

France and Spain have each introduced legislation that would bar minors from accessing social media. Meanwhile, the U.K. Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and Department of Education have opened a public consultation to better understand children's social media use and if a ban similar to Australia's is worth pursuing.

However, Australian teenagers claim the model ban has not had its intended effect and many claim they are still able to access social media services. According to ABC News, several teenagers interviewed said in some cases, a given service's age estimation technology will estimate their age over 16 and grant them access, while others have had an individual over the age of 16 use their identification to get through the ID verification checks before turning control of the account over to their sibling or friend who is under 16.

One teen called the ban "completely useless," noting how he bypassed age checks to remain on Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram with little hassle.

Perceptions around the effectiveness of Australia's ban are not creating pause with other jurisdictions.

French President Emmanuel Macron recently called for an "accelerated procedure" to fast-track legislation that would ban children under age 15 from accessing social media, and have it implemented prior to the start of the next school year in September. The accelerated procedure means the legislation will receive one reading in each chamber of Parliament, instead of the typical two readings. 

"This is a very clear message: the brains of our children and teenagers are not for sale," Macron said. "Their emotions are not for sale, nor are they to be manipulated, whether by American platforms or by Chinese algorithms."

How the social media ban is working in practice in Australia

Despite the claims of inconsistent enforcement the social media by the country's youth, Australia's eSafety Commissioner said in January that 4.7 million social media accounts belonging to children under 16 were removed in the first half of December 2025.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said at the time that the agency was aware a number of under-16 accounts remaining active. She said it was too early to determine if the progress made by platforms to that point constituted full compliance with the law.

"While some kids may find creative ways to stay on social media, it's important to remember that just like other safety laws we have in society, success is measured by reduction in harm and in resetting cultural norms," Inman Grant said in a statement. 

However, a subsequent eSafety report published 5 Feb. acknowledges Big Tech platforms "are still failing to address critical safety gaps in detecting and preventing child sexual exploitation and abuse on their services."

"I call on industry to address these safety gaps and take steps to stop harmful child sexual exploitation and abuse material and activity from taking place on their services," Inman Grant said in a statement. "This is not just a question of legality across most jurisdictions, but it is a critical matter of corporate conscience and accountability. Without significant uplift in available safety technologies and practices, we will continue to see devastating consequences for children."

In the interim, the European Commission, the U.K. Office of Communications and Inman Grant, in her capacity as Australia's eSafety Commissioner, will continue to collaborate throughout the year to discuss best practices for implementing age assurance measures. 

Proposed US social media ban

The potential harms social media use can cause minors is also drawing attention in the U.S., where federal lawmakers, like their counterparts across the world, are attempting to tamp down negative impacts of social media on children's mental health and overall well being.

The proposed Kids Off Social Media Act was introduced in the Senate last month and would bar children under 16 from creating social media accounts. During a Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation hearing 15 Jan. exploring the effects of prolonged screen time on children and adolescents, several members discussed the legislation.

KOSMA proposes to bar children under 13 from creating social media accounts and requires platforms to delete existing accounts of children under that age. It also would prohibit platforms from using automated systems to promote certain content to users under 17 based on processing their personal data. 

Additionally, schools receiving discounted telecommunications services under the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support, or E-Rate, program would be required to implement blocking or filtering technology to prevent students from accessing social media services on school-owned devices, per the bill. 

"The headline about KOSMA is the 13-year-old threshold, but arguably, the more powerful aspect of KOSMA is the banning of the algorithmic feed for kids who are permitted to be on social media between 13 and 18," U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, KOSMA's primary sponsor, said during the hearing. "Banning the algorithmic feed for kids who are not yet fully developed is a very powerful tool."

Alex LaCasse is a staff writer for the IAPP.