When Australia’s social media minimum age took effect on 10 December 2025, many advertisers assumed that under-16s would largely disappear from platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok. The first evaluation from the eSafety Commissioner, released at the end of July 2026, suggests otherwise. According to the report, more than 80% of children surveyed were still using age-restricted social media platforms around three months after the ban began.

That’s a story about child safety first. But it also has practical consequences for any business advertising on Meta’s platforms or other social media in Australia. Here’s what the report found and what it means for your campaigns.

What eSafety found

The report is the first instalment of a longer-term evaluation. According to Professor Lisa Given of RMIT University, writing in The Conversation, these early findings draw on responses from 803 children aged 10 to 15 and their parents, comparing their situation before the ban with the picture around three months after it took effect. Among the findings:

  • more than 80% of children were still using age-restricted platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat
  • account ownership fell only from 52% to 42%
  • use of social media declined marginally, from 85.9% to 81.5%
  • over half of the children surveyed said platforms had never asked them to verify their age
  • 37% had simply listed their age as 16 or older to keep access
  • 18% had their age incorrectly estimated as above 16

eSafety identified ineffective implementation of age assurance measures as the main reason. As Al Jazeera reported, the report found that most under-16s who had accounts before the ban were able to either keep them or create new ones.

eSafety’s own release also flagged that parental awareness of children’s social media use has declined in some groups, particularly among girls and children aged 10 to 12, and said it will keep investigating platform compliance and publishing further findings through to 2028. Platforms face civil penalties of up to $49.5 million, so this is unlikely to be the last word on enforcement.

What it means for advertisers on Meta and other platforms

1. Your audience may be younger than your settings suggest. If a significant number of under-16s have listed themselves as 16 or older, some of the people you reach in “adult” age brackets may actually be children. For most businesses that’s a small effect. For brands whose products are popular with teenagers, it’s worth taking seriously.

2. Age targeting isn’t a safety net on its own. Setting an ad’s minimum age to 18 remains sensible for age-sensitive products, but the eSafety findings show that stated ages aren’t always reliable. The ad itself needs to be appropriate for anyone who might realistically see it.

3. Expect the rules to keep tightening. With the regulator publicly reporting gaps, platforms are under pressure to improve age checks. That could change audience sizes, reporting and reach for younger adult audiences over time, so keep an eye on your numbers.

4. Privacy reform is heading the same way. The Privacy Act exposure draft released on 31 August 2026 includes consideration of impacts on children as one of the factors in its proposed “fair and reasonable” test for handling personal information. Protecting young people is becoming a theme across Australian digital regulation.

Businesses that should pay closest attention

  • fashion, beauty, gaming, food and entertainment brands with a strong teen following
  • anyone selling age-restricted products, such as alcohol
  • education and tutoring providers marketing to parents, where the child may also see the ad
  • brands using influencers whose followers skew young

What to do now

  1. Review your age settings. For anything age-restricted, set minimum ages appropriately on every campaign and ad set, and don’t rely on broad or automated audiences to do it for you.
  2. Check your creative through a younger lens. Ask whether an ad would be appropriate if a 14-year-old saw it. If not, rethink it.
  3. Talk to parents, not kids. If your product is for young people, target and write for the adults who make the purchase decision.
  4. Look at your audience breakdowns. Watch age and placement reports for unusual patterns, especially in campaigns using broad targeting.
  5. Review influencer partnerships. Ask creators for audience age data before you sign anything.
  6. Build channels you control. Email, SMS and your website let you manage consent and age checks directly, rather than relying on platform settings.

The under-16 ban is still bedding in, and advertisers who act responsibly now will be well placed whatever comes next. If you’d like a hand reviewing your social targeting and creative, the Big Digital team is happy to help.

Photo: ROBIN WORRALL on Unsplash

Sources

Tags: Australia eSafety Meta Ads Social media Under-16 ban