eSafety has today published ‘Early days, early insights: Understanding experiences of social media age restrictions at the three-month follow-up’.
This report provides valuable early insights on the initial impacts over the first three months of the social media delay on young people and families.
The report complements and aligns with the findings already outlined in eSafety’s March compliance update. It is the first evaluation released as part of a comprehensive two-year longitudinal study following over 4,000 children and families, providing a robust and transparent evaluation of the outcomes of Australia’s social media minimum age.
The report details data collected in March, just three months after the Social Media Minimum Age (SMMA) obligation took effect on December 10, 2025.
Consistent with eSafety’s first Compliance Update, it shows the proportion of under-16s holding a social media account in Australia fell from 52.4% to 42.1% – a modest but statistically significant decline in under 16’s having social media accounts.
The proportion of under-16s who reported using a social media platform (with or without an account) in the period prior to the law coming into effect was 85.9%. This declined to 81.5% at the 3-month follow-up.
The initial three-month findings show modest shifts in perceptions of social media use for both under-16s and their parents. This included parents feeling less pressure and being less likely to view use of social media as common amongst their children's peer groups. There was also a statistically significant decline in children feeling as though they were missing out by not having social media, down from 43.3% to 36.3%.
However, consistent with eSafety’s March 2026 Compliance Update and other early data reported by eSafety at the time, the report also shows most under-16s who had social media accounts before commencement were able to either retain them or create new ones at the three-month mark, with social media platforms’ failure to implement effective age assurance measures cited as the main reason.
While these findings reflect a point in time at three months after the commencement of the age restrictions, they do not constitute an assessment of whether age-restricted platforms complied with their obligations under the legislation.
The legislative requirements to prove a case in court for the purpose of civil penalties being ordered require eSafety to establish the platform failed to take “reasonable steps”. This legal test involves an analysis of the steps available to each provider, the effectiveness, costs and other impacts of such steps, and which steps the provider has actually taken.
For now, those complex investigations are ongoing and eSafety’s enforcement stance remains firm. eSafety stands ready to deploy any new regulatory tools should proposed legislation be passed by Parliament.
In the meantime, eSafety is continuing to use its existing tools to maximum effect to gather evidence to hold technology companies to account and protect Australian children.
While eSafety has observed some improvements by industry since its March social media minimum age update, concerns remain about the compliance of the five platforms named at that time. eSafety will publish its second compliance update in the coming weeks.
Separate to eSafety’s compliance and safety uplift work, the evaluation project is designed to examine the impacts of the social media age restrictions on young people and families, and the relationship between social media use and youth wellbeing.
Undertaken in partnership with eSafety’s Lead Academic Partner, Stanford University Social Media Lab, and an independent Academic Advisory Group, the evaluation reflects eSafety’s commitment to transparency and best practice research, as outlined in the study protocol published on the Open Science Framework and in the study’s Methodology Report also released today.
The report provides a range of valuable insights into how the delay is being implemented and experienced by children and their families, including any early outcomes.
One important early finding is that parental awareness of children’s social media use in some cohorts, particularly amongst girls and children aged 10 to 12, has declined. This highlights the importance of continuing open dialogue within families about children’s digital engagement, despite social media restrictions being in effect.
To help families with practical approaches to navigating screen time and encouraging open conversations about online activities, eSafety is hosting a tailored webinar in August for parents and carers of young people in primary and lower secondary school, as part of an ongoing series of online safety webinars for families navigating these changes. There are also a range of free resources available for parents and carers available on eSafety’s website.
While the majority of children and parents reported age restrictions had not yet impacted them 3-months in, a small proportion of children reported challenges, such as finding it harder to communicate, feeling less connected to their peers or missing social media, others reported positive outcomes, including improved relationships, a greater sense of online safety and reduced pressure to be on social media.
As the data was collected just three months after the legislation came into effect, it is too early to meaningfully assess whether the policy’s intended outcomes have been achieved. Instead, the report provides early insights into where change may be beginning to occur and examines whether the foundations for longer-term outcomes are being established.
Evaluation findings will continue to be released progressively through public reports and peer-reviewed publications across 2026, 2027 and 2028.
To understand more about what the evaluation report’s findings mean, read the eSafety Commissioner’s blog.