Young Australians Are on Social Media Despite the Ban

The Australian government on Saturday defended its world-first ban on social media use by children under the age of 16, despite findings a day earlier by the national internet regulator that more than eight in ten Australian teenagers were still using social media three months after the ban took effect. The regulator also found that parents had even less insight into their children's online activities than before the ban.

The findings highlight the difficulty of enforcing rules in a digital world that has become an integral part of everyday life. Australia introduced the ban out of concern over the impact of social media on children's mental and physical health.

"We never expected that this would have 100% compliance. We don't get 100% compliance out of minimum drinking age laws, but it's still appropriate that we have that law on the books", said Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury Andrew Leigh.

(Reuters, sak)