By Saloni Sinha ( March 24, 2026, 08:01 GMT | Comment) -- Australia’s under-16 social media restrictions are being hailed as a “stunning success” by the country's online safety regulator, backed by a headline figure of 4.7 million accounts removed, but questions continue to cloud that claim. With only partial data from a handful of platforms and emerging signs that many teens are still finding workarounds, the early picture is far more mixed than the headline suggests. For now, the numbers remain unclear and whether the policy will deliver meaningful and lasting impact is still an open question. The regulator, for its part, is urging patience, arguing the true effects will play out over the long term.Australia’s online safety regulator has told the world and specifically lawmakers in the UK, that the social media ban for children under 16, which took effect on Dec. 10, 2025, has been “very successful.”...
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