Sydney (AFP) – There was “no meaningful shift” away from big tech platforms like TikTok and Instagram in the immediate wake of Australia’s world-leading teen social media ban, government documents obtained by AFP show. Australia in December banned under 16s from a raft of popular social media platforms, launching a world-first crackdown designed to protect children from online bullying and “predatory algorithms”.
There is strong global interest in whether Australia’s laws could provide a blueprint for how to rein in increasingly powerful tech giants. Government documents obtained by AFP using freedom of information laws give an early glimpse into how the restrictions are working. They showed that platforms such as Instagram and TikTok were still “dominating app store rankings and downloads” one month on from the ban. Data compiled throughout January showed “no meaningful shift away” from these platforms, noted an internal briefing from Australia’s eSafety Commission.
Users dabbled with other apps not covered by the ban but “largely returned to major, established platforms,” officials wrote in the briefing dated February 2. A separate document cautioned it was hard to draw firm conclusions from app download data so soon after the ban. “Limitations of this data are that it does not reflect usage of an app or the age of the user, however it gives early indicators if an app is rising in popularity.”
One of the chief concerns driving Australia’s social media ban was the desire to stamp out cyberbullying. Complaints of cyberbullying on banned social media platforms increased 26 percent when comparing January 2026 with January 2025, the documents said. Complaints had largely stemmed from TikTok. A spokeswoman for the eSafety Commission — Australia’s online watchdog — said the documents only covered a short period of time as the laws were bedding down.
“Continued analysis as more data becomes available will support more robust, evidence-based conclusions regarding longer-term trends, reporting behaviours, and impacts of a minimum age for social media,” the commission told AFP in a statement. TikTok was approached for comment.
– ‘Global interest’ –
A raft of nations are now reportedly mulling a similar social media crackdown. The documents showed that Israel, the United Kingdom, Norway, and New Zealand met with Australian officials after expressing an “interest” in the ban. “eSafety has experienced significant global interest in the world’s first social media minimum age legislation, including implementation and compliance,” the commission said.
“The internet doesn’t stop at the border and nor should our efforts to minimise harm, especially to children.” Australia in March accused big tech companies of “failing to obey” their obligations under the new laws. The eSafety Commission found a “substantial proportion of Australian children” were still scrolling banned platforms.
“Australia’s world-leading social media laws are not failing. But big tech is failing to obey the laws,” Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters at the time. “Australia will not let the social media giants take us for mugs.” Tech companies face fines of up to $33.9 million (Aus$49.5 million) under the laws. More than five million accounts belonging to underage Australian users have been removed since the laws came into effect, according to government figures.
© 2024 AFP
