AUSTRALIAN KIDS STILL USING TIKTOK DESPITE BAN

The findings reveal Australia's social media ban has had limited impact on actual usage patterns. Among older teenagers, the decline is negligible—suggesting youth are finding workarounds or using existing accounts. More notably, TikTok usage among 10-to-12-year-olds has increased, indicating the ban may be pushing younger children toward the platform rather than away from it. Australia implemented the world's strictest age verification law in November 2024, making it illegal for platforms to allow under-16s access. However, enforcement has proven challenging. Users can bypass restrictions through VPNs, shared accounts, or misrepresented ages. The data suggests technological solutions alone cannot enforce age restrictions without cooperation from both platforms and users. Australia's experience may inform other countries considering similar legislation.