20% of Australian Teens Continue Using TikTok, Snapchat Despite Social Media Ban

• Snapchat usage among 13-15-year-olds dropped 13.8 percentage points to 20.3%, while TikTok fell 5.7 points to 21.2% from November to February
• Platforms including Meta, YouTube, TikTok and Snapchat face fines up to A$49.5 million for systemic non-compliance, though regulators say they will allow adaptation time
• Decline was steeper than typical summer break patterns, and fears of migration to unregulated platforms have not materialized, though WhatsApp saw slight uptick

Summary

Key Development: Two months after Australia implemented a social media ban for users under 16 in December 2024, approximately 20% of teens aged 13-15 continue using prohibited platforms, according to data from parental control software maker Qustodio.

Usage Statistics:

• Snapchat usage among 13-15-year-olds dropped 13.8 percentage points to 20.3% from November to February
• TikTok usage declined 5.7 percentage points to 21.2%
• YouTube usage fell just 1 percentage point to 36.9% (though users may access without logging in, which is permitted)
• WhatsApp saw a small uptick in teen usage

Regulatory Framework: Platforms including Meta's Instagram, Google's YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat face fines up to A$49.5 million ($35 million) for non-compliance. However, the eSafety Commissioner has indicated enforcement will focus on systemic violations and platforms will receive time to adapt.

Market Implications: The data raises questions about the effectiveness of age-verification methods currently employed by social media companies. While Qustodio noted a steeper decline than typical summer break patterns, suggesting the ban had some impact, usage rates are beginning to recover. Concerns about migration to unregulated platforms have not materialized.

Global Context: Australia's ban is being monitored worldwide as other governments consider similar restrictions. Official government and university studies are underway but have not yet published findings. The Qustodio report represents the first independent data showing real-world effects on youth online behavior since implementation.