United Kingdom · NPR Technology
Study flags Australia's social media ban for children has barely affected access
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Despite Australia promising tougher penalties for a world-first social media ban for children, a new study indicates that six months in, the policy has barely affected youth access.
Key facts
- COURTNEY BARNES: Over 85% of adolescents under 16 years, so those directly impacted by the age restrictions, were still accessing at least one of those restricted platforms each week
- KUKOLJA: He's announced new legislation to double penalties for breaches to the equivalent of nearly $70 million and give stronger information-gathering powers to the online safety regulator
- KUKOLJA: That's public health researcher Courtney Barnes, who led the study published in the British Medical Journal
- KUKOLJA: The data supports the Australian eSafety Commissioner's findings that 70% of parents surveyed in March had underage children with some access to banned sites
Summary
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:. Australia is promising harsher penalties for tech companies that breach its social media ban for children. KRISTINA KUKOLJA, BYLINE: Six months into the ban, Australia's prime minister says too many children are still on social media. PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE: They're working on that as a priority because this is something that other generations didn't have to deal with.