<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>Exclusive:</span></strong><span> It's been nearly six months since Australia's teen social media ban came into effect but more than half of nine.com.au readers say it's just not working.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The under-16 social media delay (eSafety insists it's not a ban) kicked off on December 10, 2025, and saw millions of teen accounts wiped from newly age-restricted platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and Reddit for their own safety.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But an exclusive nine.com.au survey of nearly 1300 readers revealed that more than 60 per cent feel the ban has been ineffective in the months since.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/new-zealand-christchurch-dementia-torture-elder-neglect-abuse-world-news/8ea3d383-1c19-4bbd-b3f1-6e34d70b516d" target="_blank"><strong><span>Son locked his dementia-suffering father in blacked-out room to steal his fortune</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Kids are smarter than we give them credit for, they find ways to get around the restrictions," one reader told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nearly 70 per cent of under-16s who had social media accounts before the ban started are still on age-restricted platforms, according to an eSafety report.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One nine.com.au reader insisted the ban "needs to be tightened and properly policed".</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/teen-social-media-ban-not-working-according-to-nine-readers/386383e9-ced3-4b3c-ac08-3231810eabfa" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About 20 per cent of nine.com.au readers said they feel the ban is working and 17 per cent were on the fence.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Many of the latter group said it's too soon to say how successful the ban has been.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Feedback is necessary from teens, parents, and schools, before being able to assess its efficacy," one said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/donald-trump-freedom-250-concert-lineup-acts-names-bands-pulling-out-young-mc-commodores/0ab6cb17-18c6-4dff-8ee1-934b9dc9f258" target="_blank"><strong><span>Musicians back out of Trump's Washington concert after widespread criticism</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Another suspected it will take years to see the full effects of the ban.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It will be the younger kids who never had [social media] that may see the benefits," they said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>Have you got a story? Contact</span></strong></em><span> </span><strong><em><span>reporter Maddison Skipper at</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="mailto:mleach@nine.com.au" target="_blank" title="mleach@nine.com.au"><strong><em><span>mleach@nine.com.au</span></em></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Though Aussies are divided over how effective the ban has been in the last six months, many still support the world-first measure.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About 70 per cent said they backed the ban when it was introduced and fewer than 10 per cent have changed their minds in the time since.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While I agree in principle, I knew it wouldn't work as sadly there are easy ways for kids to get around it," one told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/officeworks-offshores-jobs-overseas-to-philippines-and-india/f2676351-44cf-44d1-899a-f1df17547041" target="_blank"><strong><span>Officeworks to offshore jobs to India and Philippines in $15 million restructure</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Some readers said more time should have been spent discussing how the ban could be enforced more effectively before it was implemented.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Others would have preferred if parents were given the choice to restrict their teens' social media use instead of the government enforcing a blanket ban.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"It is not practical to ban everyone," one reader said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I'd prefer that proper controls are put in place and there is legislation to make the platforms safer."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><span>The</span></em><span> </span><a href="http://nine.com.au/" target="_blank"><em><span>nine.com.au</span></em></a><span> </span><em><span>poll, which runs once a fortnight, canvases the views of the Nine audience on 9Nation, which is an online community of our readers and viewers.</span></em></div></div>