Two thirds of underage Australians still have access to social media despite ban - study

Sky News
April 12, 2026
9 views
2 min read

Quick Insights

The Bottom Line

New research shows over 60% of underage Australians still use social media despite a four-month ban.

AI Summary

A new study indicates that over 60% of underage Australians continue to access social media, four months after a world-first ban was implemented in the country. This research suggests the ban has not effectively prevented minors from using these platforms. The continued access by two thirds of underage Australians highlights significant challenges in enforcing such a policy. This situation raises questions about the efficacy of the ban and its intended impact on youth social media use.

Following this story?

Get notified when new coverage appears

Should this be getting more attention?

You Might Have Missed

Related stories from different sources and perspectives

Driscoll shuts down social media accounts after post celebrating Duckworth
Politics

Driscoll shuts down social media accounts after post celebrating Duckworth

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll ordered that all social media accounts affiliated with an Army unit be shut down after a post celebrating Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) sparked mixed reactions online. Soldier for Life (SFL) — an Army unit that connects and helps shape and amplify services, programs and policies for soldiers, veterans and their families —…

The HillApr 15
Zohran Mamdani's wife Rama Duwaji apologizes for the 'harmful' social media posts she made as a teen - AP News
Politics

Zohran Mamdani's wife Rama Duwaji apologizes for the 'harmful' social media posts she made as a teen - AP News

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMipwFBVV95cUxNSy1paXZUZ3RhRDhQeTlsdHdfWnp1Q18yQUNYWktTaEh4dER3SXJkMHQtYkp5YXR5emJvZU9sUG0wMXRpVTI1a01kaHdCNG9oRGRxbTNORF94cThoV2hJcThuZG5Qb015b3hDbXBLSmo0MDYtWWFWME40OWMzd2NiUHotQ3VMU1puUTk4S0liYUg3eGQ0UWd5WmpneVVhTUlDZWZ1TEFCNA?oc=5" target="_blank">Zohran Mamdani's wife Rama Duwaji apologizes for the 'harmful' social media posts she made as a teen</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">AP News</font>

AP NewsApr 16
Tourists to Australia would have social media accounts vetted under Trumpian Coalition plan
Politics

Tourists to Australia would have social media accounts vetted under Trumpian Coalition plan

<p>In hardline rhetoric, leader Angus Taylor also says ‘many’ prospective migrants would be a ‘net drain’ on the country</p><ul><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>A Coalition government would end Australia’s non-discriminatory immigration program and introduce Trump-style social media vetting for visa applicants, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/apr/02/angus-taylor-televised-national-address-coal-and-mining-fuel-crisis">Angus Taylor</a> accuses Labor of allowing migrants of “subversive intent” into the country.</p><p>As the opposition loses support to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation, Taylor says too many people seek to use Australia’s generosity “for self-serving purposes”, promising to speed up rejections of a...

The Guardian World NewsApr 13
Tanzania investigates death of American social media influencer - Reuters
Global

Tanzania investigates death of American social media influencer - Reuters

<a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiuwFBVV95cUxNUFAtX29icUdWQW9nTVViWWhBaUROaS1vY0dBaDA5NGdXNThaZHRiRnNEMnhQTnVLb2c2dFR5YkdfZDU4djhGRGdPeklnNE40ZG4wOFBCRm41c3J0QTBQSVdDODgtNkVCakNZSWhRdEd4dXJ4LUc1UjFSX0VVYU5FaWp5Qzh6eU9mZ1dzRzdCNmlPV0dPRHJUeVdOTVFpSFhpWTRRckZROEE1YlJKVWJkcWFZS0FOVTdEcy1R?oc=5" target="_blank">Tanzania investigates death of American social media influencer</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<font color="#6f6f6f">Reuters</font>

ReutersApr 15
Israeli military admit to posting AI photo of Lebanese journalist it killed
AI & Warfare

Israeli military admit to posting AI photo of Lebanese journalist it killed

The Foreign Press Association has accused the Israeli military of discrediting a Lebanese journalist it killed in March, by using an AI-generated photo to present him as a “Hezbollah terrorist.” The Israel Defence Forces claimed responsibility for killing Ali Shoeib in a targeted Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon. It then shared an edited photo of him on social media, overlaying his press vest with a Hezbollah uniform, saying a “press vest is just a cover for terror.”

AFP / France 24Apr 16
Scoop: U.S. eases bank sanctions amid Venezuela's economic woes
Global

Scoop: U.S. eases bank sanctions amid Venezuela's economic woes

<p>The <a href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_blank">Trump administration</a> eased sanctions on Venezuela's state-run financial system Tuesday to try to boost the country's economy amid protests by public workers demanding higher pay.</p><p><strong>Why it matters:</strong> Venezuela's government-run bank and other large financial institutions can now begin legally using U.S. currency, directly receive billions of dollars in oil sales and reenter the U.S.-controlled global financial system to help its damaged economy.</p><hr><ul><li>The action by the U.S. Treasury is also intended to help spur oil-sector development in Venezuela and stabilize the new government of acting president Delcy Rodriguez.</li></ul><p><strong>Zoom in:</strong> The U.S. took control of Venezuela's oil revenue from its state-owned company after seizing socialist strongman Nicolas Maduro in a military raid Jan. 3.</p><ul><li>But since then, red tape from U.S. financial sanctions h...

AxiosApr 14
Read Next
Recent advances push Big Tech closer to the Q-Day danger zone
Technology

Recent advances push Big Tech closer to the Q-Day danger zone

Continue reading

Did this story change how you see things?

Stories like this only matter when people see them. Help us get verified journalism in front of more eyes.

Share this story

Get the daily digest

Save for later

The Verity Ledger curates verified investigative journalism from trusted sources only.

See our sources