Are Social Media Bans Working?
It’s Too Soon To Tell But Making Social Media Harder For Kids To Access Is An Important First Step
The concern over the use of social media by kids under 16 has finally turned to action – after Australia lead the way with a nationwide ban in December 2025, multiple other countries around the world have followed with similar measures.
But an important question remains: Are these bans actually working?
At first glance, the current evidence isn't particularly encouraging. Australia’s ban required social media sites to take “reasonable steps” to prevent Australians under 16 from having social media accounts. Three months after the ban took effect, a government study found that 81.5% of children ages 10-15 were still using social media, compared with 85.9% before the restrictions. However, the percentage of children who had their own social media accounts dropped from 52.4% to 42.1%.
While the ban hasn't stopped most children from accessing social media, there are early signs that it's beginning to make a difference, even if the impact is modest. But it's important to keep expectations realistic. We can't expect dramatic changes overnight. Social media is deeply embedded in our daily lives, and platforms are deliberately designed to keep users engaged and coming back for more. Changing these habits, particularly among young people, will take time.
Secondly, the Australian government's goal wasn't to immediately and drastically reduce children's social media use, but rather to change the conditions that allow it to continue. By raising awareness of the law and requiring platforms to enforce age restrictions, the government hopes to reduce the number of children holding accounts on these platforms. Over time, this should lead to children spending less time on social media and, ultimately, reducing their exposure to online risks and harms.
Americans Want More Protection
Support for restrictions is growing in the United States. According to a July 2026 Pew Research Center report, 56% of American adults support banning social media for children under 16, including 65% of parents with children under 18.
Even more Americans support less restrictive measures: 85% favor requiring parental consent before minors can create social media accounts, while 78% support age verification and limits on the amount of time children spend on social media.
These numbers suggest that Americans increasingly recognize the need for stronger protections, even if they don't all agree on what those protections should look like.
Why Friction Matters
I believe social media bans are an important first step, even if their immediate impact is limited.
For years, we've made it incredibly easy for children to access platforms designed to capture and hold their attention. Bans begin to introduce something that's been largely missing: friction.
They make access more difficult, establish clearer expectations, give parents greater support in setting boundaries, and place more responsibility on technology companies instead of all on parents, schools, and individuals.
Perhaps most importantly, they have the potential to change social norms. Think about how difficult it is for one family to say no to social media when everyone else's children are using it. Parents often feel they're fighting a losing battle, particularly when their children argue that they're the only ones without access. But when restrictions apply to everyone, that dynamic can begin to change.
Interestingly, Australia's early research found that the percentage of children who felt they were missing out by not having social media declined from 43.3% to 36.3%. That's a small but potentially meaningful shift.
Bans Are a Beginning, Not a Solution
Of course, legislation alone won't solve the problem. Australia's experience also shows how difficult enforcement can be, particularly when platforms aren't consistently verifying users' ages.
We still need better platform design, stronger accountability for technology companies, digital literacy education, and parents who actively teach their children to develop healthier relationships with technology. And we need more time and research to understand whether these laws lead to lasting improvements in children's well-being.
The goal isn't simply to keep children off social media. It's to change the environment in which they're growing up. That won't happen overnight. But creating friction, changing expectations, and shifting responsibility away from individual families may be exactly where we need to start.
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You’re not alone in this. And you’re doing better than you think.
In it with you,
Sara
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