MAJORITY OF AUSTRALIAN KIDS STILL ON BANNED SOCIAL MEDIA

The Molly Rose Foundation, an organization focused on preventing online harm, surveyed 1,050 Australian children between ages 12 and 15 in March. The poll revealed that a significant majority of young users who previously had access to restricted platforms continue to maintain one or more active accounts. The findings raise questions about enforcement of social media bans targeting users under 16, a policy approach being pursued by multiple countries. The data suggests that legislative restrictions alone may not prevent determined users from accessing these platforms. The Molly Rose Foundation's research indicates a gap between policy intent and real-world compliance. The study suggests that age verification measures and platform enforcement mechanisms currently in place are insufficient to achieve the stated goals of protecting younger users from social media exposure.