After Keir Starmer promises 'Australia plus' scheme, how has social media ban for kids fared Down Under?

By ELEANOR HARDING, EDUCATION EDITOR Published: 01:22, 16 June 2026 | Updated: 01:22, 16 June 2026 The Prime Minister has promised the UK's ban on social media for under-16s will be like 'Australia plus'. But six months after the world's first ever such scheme was launched Down Under, reviews of its success are mixed. Under Australia's new rules, children are banned from 10 major platforms – TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Reddit, Facebook, X, Threads, Snapchat, Twitch and Kick. It led to nearly five million social media accounts being deactivated – but many youngsters reported still being able to gain access. 'I wasn't banned and none of my friends were,' Australian schoolgirl Hannah Chalmers, 15, told the BBC in March. Another said only three in her year group of 180 pupils had been banned. Harry Dyer, education professor at the University of East Anglia said: 'Their ban has not effectively stopped young people using social media. 'Meanwhile, the platforms are less incentivised to actually protect young people, who will still be there regardless.' Under Australia's scheme, social media companies have responsibility for checking age, and face fines of up to £25 million if they fail to keep under-16s off. Six months after the world's first ever social media ban was launched for under-16s in Australia, reviews of its success are mixed (file picture) However, checking relies on either facial recognition technology, uploading identification documents or 'age estimation' – artificial intelligence analysis of a user's online behaviour. Facial recognition has emerged as one of the most popular options, and requires a user to upload a photo so that it can be analysed for an estimated age. Pupils have reported being able to circumvent such checks by using photos of family members or even masks. 'I just asked my mum to scan her face,' Cruz Condren, 14, told the Sydney Morning Herald of the Snapchat verification process. 'It just let me back on.' Another 14-year-old told Australia's ABC News his friend used an image of Michael Jackson to circumvent checking on another platform. Even when someone is using their own face, their age can still be overestimated if they look older than they are. Many children are also using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) – which allow their location to appear as another country – meaning they can circumvent Australia's rules when accessing a platform. In addition, many are simply moving their activities to other sites which are not banned. The Australian Government selects sites based on whether their main purpose is online social interaction, and whether they allow users to post material. For this reason, YouTube Kids, Google Classroom, WhatsApp and gaming sites such as Roblox are not included. This is despite a number of grooming incidents on Roblox, including one in the UK where the perpetrator was jailed. Under-16s are also still able to view most content on online platforms that do not require an account, meaning they can still watch adult YouTube. In March, a survey by Australia's internet regulator the eSafety Commission found 70 per cent of parents reported their children were still on the banned platforms. It is investigating potential non-compliance by Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube. The same month, a survey by the Molly Rose Foundation found 61 per cent of 12–15 year-olds in Australia who previously held accounts on restricted platforms continue to access them. However, separate YouGov polling has suggested 59 per cent of Australians say the ban has been effective in controlling online risks. Dai Durbridge, partner specialising in safeguarding at UK law firm Browne Jacobson, said: 'While Australia's ban is still in its infancy, initial findings show broad support among parents and teachers despite teething problems. 'It's important that the UK Government anticipates these issues and works closely with technology companies to ensure restrictions are implemented effectively.' Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube have been contacted for comment. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.