Australia introduced a ban on social media for under-16s, but a study found that more than 8 in 10 teenagers were still using social media three months after the ban took effect. The country’s internet regulator, eSafety, found that most children aged between 10 and 15 were using social media just as frequently in March as they had before the ban came into force on December 10 last year.

Concerns Over Age Checks

The study found that the tech firms failed to implement effective age checks, allowing many teenagers to retain their social media accounts or create new ones. Around half the children who retained their accounts said platforms had not checked their age, the most common reason they were able to stay on the services.

The Australian government introduced the ban due to concerns about the impact of social media on the mental and physical health of children and young people. The ban is being closely watched by many nations that have since sought to introduce their own curbs.

The report, prepared by a global advisory panel of university researchers, compared data collected from more than 4,000 children and families before the ban started and three months later. It is the first report to be released as part of a two-year study to evaluate the outcomes of the world-first ban.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.