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A quarter (26%) of young Australians aged 10-16 say they have been significantly impacted since age social media restrictions were introduced.
More than half of that group report they are getting less news about world events and local issues, according to a study from Western Sydney University, Queensland University of Technology and the University of Canberra.
The ban, which came into effect in December 2025, prohibits under-16s from platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit and YouTube.
The report, from researchers leading the longitudinal Young People and News study, found social media is used by 41% of young people for news, nearly double the rate for live TV and far ahead of websites, apps, radio and podcasts.
One in three young Australians actively follow social media accounts to get news, and almost two in five do not use any formal news sources beyond passive access through social media.
Lead researcher Tanya Notley, from Western Sydney University's School of Arts and Institute for Culture and Society, said the data suggested blocking social media access did not redirect news engagement, it ended it.
"As the ban reaches more young people, as it's intended to, it's likely to get much worse,” she said.
“This is particularly concerning for young people without university-educated parents who use fewer news sources and have less capacity to adapt and find news elsewhere.”
The researchers are calling for news engagement to be included in policy deliberations and for funding to identify initiatives supporting young people's access to high-quality news sources.
Another study, by Adelaide University, found no access to social media at all can be as harmful as excessive use.
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