Screen time in Australia: the data behind a world-first experiment

The under-16 minimum age: what the law does

Under amendments to the Online Safety Act, 'age-restricted social media platforms' must take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from holding accounts. The obligation sits entirely on platforms — there are no penalties for children or parents — and as of 10 December 2025 it applies to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, Threads, X, Kick and Twitch, among others. Under-16s can still view public content without logging in, and messaging, gaming and education services are excluded. eSafety frames it as "a delay, not a ban": the target is the account-based design features — algorithmic feeds, notification streams, engagement mechanics — that the regulator links to harms to young people's health and wellbeing.

Six months in: the compliance picture

The enforcement story is moving quickly. eSafety's March 2026 implementation update flagged five platforms for age-check compliance issues, and its data showed roughly seven in ten underage children on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok still held accounts. A British Medical Journal study published in late June 2026 found 85% of surveyed 12–17-year-olds using restricted platforms, with self-declared ages and selfie uploads — the weakest verification methods — the most common checks encountered. Within days, the Prime Minister announced legislation to double maximum penalties to $99 million and give eSafety the power to compel platforms (and third parties like age-assurance providers) to produce evidence of their compliance efforts.

Whatever the eventual outcome, one implication is already clear for families: regulation is not, in the near term, a substitute for visibility at home. The accounts largely still exist; they are simply less discussed.

What Australian kids' screen use actually looks like

Measure	Figure	Source
Kids 8–12 who had used social media or messaging apps (pre-rules)	84%	eSafety Commissioner, 2024
Average daily screen time at home, Australian children (parent-reported)	4.5+ hours	RCH National Child Health Poll
Children exceeding national screen time recommendations	Majority, across all age groups	RCH National Child Health Poll
Australian children under 2 with regular screen time (vs guidance of none)	63%	RCH National Child Health Poll
Educators reporting declining student focus	78%	Gonski Institute, Growing Up Digital Australia
Teachers who say digital tech is a growing distraction	84%	Gonski Institute

Parents' concerns — and the official guidance

The Royal Children's Hospital National Child Health Poll, a national survey of Australian households, has repeatedly found excessive screen time to be the number one health concern parents hold for children — cited as a problem by more than 90% of parents, ahead of cyberbullying (second) and internet safety (third). Australia's official 24-Hour Movement Guidelines recommend no screen time before age 2, no more than an hour a day for ages 2–5, and no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time for ages 5–17 — thresholds the RCH polling shows most Australian children exceed.

Australian adults are no exception to the global picture, averaging around six hours a day online per DataReportal's country data — meaning the family screen time conversation is rarely only about the kids.

For Australian parents navigating the new rules: eSafety maintains official guidance for families at esafety.gov.au, including which platforms are restricted, how age checks work, and conversation resources for talking with under-16s about the change.