‘A minute to get around it’: Australia’s social media ban still has plenty of holes

Australia’s landmark social media ban for under-16s, introduced December 10, 2025, has faced significant loopholes since its enforcement. Fifteen-year-old Ramsay Daglish from Melbourne bypassed YouTube’s restrictions by altering his profile birthdate to 19, regaining access within minutes. Many teens, including Addison Grant, a 14-year-old in Perth, circumvented age verification on Snapchat by submitting selfies, allowing them to continue using the app despite the ban. Research from three Australian universities, published May 18, revealed 61% of young Australians reported no change in their social media use, while only 26% said the ban significantly affected them. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had hoped the ban would curb online harms like bullying and grooming, but experts say weak enforcement and easy workarounds have undermined its effectiveness. Addison Grant, who supported the ban, found Snapchat’s verification process easily bypassed by submitting a selfie, though she later reduced usage from 20-30 minutes daily to 30 minutes weekly. Some friends were banned, shifting social groups to WhatsApp, which remains unrestricted. YouTube restricted her account features but did not block access entirely. The 10 banned platforms—Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, Threads, Twitch, X, and YouTube—have struggled with age verification, with many teens reporting no verification requests or simple bypass methods. Experts warn the shortcomings highlight the need for stronger enforcement and proactive platform safeguards to protect children online.