Generating key takeaways...
Two months after Australia introduced the world’s first nationwide ban preventing under-16s from holding accounts on major social media platforms, early data suggests teenage use has fallen but not disappeared.
A report from parental control software maker Qustodio found activity among 13- to 15-year-olds on TikTok and Snapchat declined between November and February, though more than one in five teenagers in that group continued to use the apps.
“Among children whose parents haven’t blocked access, a meaningful number continue to use restricted platforms in the months following the ban,” Qustodio said.
Snapchat use among 13- to 15-year-olds fell by 13.8 percentage points to 20.3 per cent, while TikTok use dropped 5.7 points to 21.2 per cent. YouTube usage slipped one point to 36.9 per cent, though the law allows unregistered viewing.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner said the office was “actively engaging with platforms and their age assurance providers” while monitoring potential breaches.
Platforms have removed or restricted about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children since the law took effect in December 2025, according to media reports. Companies have introduced age checks ranging from government ID verification to biometric age estimation.
Teenagers have also sought workarounds, including using relatives’ identification, underscoring the difficulty of enforcing the rules. Governments abroad are watching closely as Australia’s experiment unfolds.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article references a report from Qustodio, a parental control software provider, indicating that while activity among 13- to 15-year-olds on TikTok and Snapchat fell between November and February, more than one in five in that age group continued to use those apps. This aligns with previously reported data from Qustodio’s annual study of children’s app and online tool use, which found that Australian children averaged 132 minutes a day on TikTok in 2025. ([futurefive.com.au](https://futurefive.com.au/story/aussie-kids-averaged-over-two-hours-a-day-on-tiktok-in-2025?utm_source=openai)) The article also mentions that the Australian government is actively monitoring compliance with the ban, with the eSafety Commissioner acknowledging reports that some under-16s remain online and stating that the office is “actively engaging with platforms and their age assurance providers.” ([abc.net.au](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-10/social-media-ban-day-one-teen-access/106126706?utm_source=openai)) However, the article does not provide a specific publication date, making it difficult to assess the freshness of the information. Given the lack of a clear publication date and the reliance on previously reported data, the freshness score is moderate.
Quotes check
Score:
6
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Qustodio, the eSafety Commissioner, and Communications Minister Anika Wells. However, without specific publication dates or verifiable sources for these quotes, it’s challenging to confirm their authenticity. The absence of verifiable sources for these quotes raises concerns about their accuracy and reliability.
Source reliability
Score:
5
Notes:
The article appears to originate from The Frontier Post, a publication that is not widely recognized in the mainstream media landscape. The lack of a clear publication date and the reliance on previously reported data from Qustodio and government officials further complicate the assessment of the source’s reliability. Given these factors, the source reliability score is moderate.
Plausibility check
Score:
7
Notes:
The claims made in the article are plausible and align with known information about the Australian government’s social media ban for under-16s. The article mentions that platforms like TikTok and Snapchat have taken steps to comply with the ban, including removing or restricting accounts identified as belonging to children. This is consistent with reports that Meta removed over 500,000 suspected teen accounts across its platforms within a week of the ban’s implementation. ([techradar.com](https://www.techradar.com/computing/social-media/meta-wipes-over-500-000-australian-teen-accounts-in-a-single-week-but-says-world-first-social-media-crackdown-is-failing?utm_source=openai)) However, the lack of specific publication dates and verifiable sources for the quotes introduces some uncertainty regarding the accuracy of the claims.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents plausible claims regarding the continued use of TikTok and Snapchat by Australian teens despite the social media ban. However, the lack of specific publication dates, verifiable sources for quotes, and reliance on previously reported data from Qustodio and government officials raises concerns about the freshness, originality, and reliability of the information. Given these issues, the overall assessment is a FAIL.
