A month on from Australia’s landmark under-16 social media ban, youths have migrated to unbanned sites such as Roblox, Discord and Steam.
Some services only verify age for specific features, so teens may still use social functions there even if mainstream social apps are restricted.
When big platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and others are locked down, it’s probably unsurprising that teens are pivoting to smaller or newer apps that aren’t explicitly listed in the ban or are weakly policed.
“We’re more than a month into the social media ban era, and we’re already seeing a ‘how to’ culture emerging online to discuss methods to skirt the ban,” says Yasmin London, global online safety expert for global tech company Qoria.
“Many under-16-year-olds are sharing tips and tricks on the very apps they should be banned from.”
Minecraft, Fortnite, Clash Royale, Rocket League and Brawl Stars are other widely popular gaming platforms.
“With the ban in place–and assuming they haven’t sidestepped the ban in some way–we expect kids who were raised in an online era to migrate to gaming or messenger platforms, such as Discord, Steam and Steam chat, WhatsApp and more,” says London.
“And Australian kids are already leading the world with how much time they spend on their mobile devices playing Roblox.”
Australian children spend more time on Roblox than any other country in the ‘Lost in the Scroll’ study. Aussie kids spent 87 minutes a day on Roblox, above the 76-minute global average. On desktop, the average time spent on the platform skyrockets to 133 minutes.
Roblox lets users build, share, and enjoy games made by others. While it helps kids connect socially, user-created content can expose them to inappropriate material and risks.
“When children have mobile phones, parents often make a conscious decision to restrict access to certain apps or put time limits in place. Yet shared devices, like the family computer or smart television, often slip under the radar,” said London.
“While Roblox does have its own restrictions on chat functions for kids’ accounts, many experts have raised concerns that they don’t work and kids can easily skirt them.
“Having not been included in the government social media ban, it makes use of these online games – and their chat rooms – easy, accessible and, crucially, unmonitored. It will be interesting to see whether the average time spent on Roblox increases in 2026.
“There have been reports of adults using Roblox and other gaming apps to engage with children for nefarious means, such as recruiting, bullying, harassment or grooming.
“And while those interactions are still limited, they do occur, and parents need to be mindful that their kids may be exposed to these risks.”
Teens find way around ban
Platforms have blocked or removed millions of under‑16 accounts, so plenty of teens really have lost access or cut down usage. Yet leaders admit there are shortcuts and loopholes.
Many teens made accounts with an older age profile before the ban kicked in. Others are registering new profiles and simply lying about their age to pass basic screening tests.
Facial-age and ID checks sometimes misclassify users, so some under-16s have slipped through without doing anything special.
Some are getting parents, siblings or older friends to complete the facial scan and ID process for them. Some parents either disagree with the ban or prioritise their child’s social ties and actively help them regain access, for example, by lending their ID or completing verification flows.
Reports mention teens using makeup and good lighting to look older for facial‑age tools, or even AI‑generated images of older adults to beat the system.
There are many tech tools to avoid the ban, too. Teens can use VPNs to obscure their location and sometimes avoid region‑specific enforcement, or link accounts to non‑Australian details.
The ban at least shifts responsibility to platforms, raises the baseline barrier to addictive use and draws from proven public health models like alcohol and tobacco age limits. Partial enforcement still curbs mainstream apps’ reach, pushing kids toward less risky activities or safer alternatives.
AI brings a new social issue
AI tools are still quite new, but children are interacting with them in astoundingly unique and profound ways. The ‘Lost in the Scroll’ study found 46% of kids visited ChatGPT in 2025, compared to 24% in 2024.
Most teens harness AI for everyday needs like searching the Internet and help with homework. Creatively, AI fuels content creation on permitted apps such as Roblox or Discord, where teens produce captions, images via Midjourney, or edited videos with CapCut’s AI features to stay socially connected without mainstream sites.
But teens are now cunning. They use AI to navigate digital restrictions and enhance leisure. It aids in bypassing age verification by crafting realistic older faces, scripting bots for alt accounts, or optimising VPN setups, reflecting a tech-savvy workaround culture.
In gaming and casual use, AI powers in-game strategies on Fortnite or Roblox, crafts memes, generates lyrics, or serves as chat companions, though online safety warnings show the risks excessive time on unregulated AI bots can bring.
“While every child is different, parents and adults need to pay attention to potential red flags around AI chatbot use,” says London.
“There are some behavioural changes that could indicate an over-reliance on the technology, including if the time spent interacting with chatbots or AI tools is increasing, or the user is prioritising it over time with friends or family, if a child is being secretive about the use of AI, relying on bots for emotional support, if a sudden change in mood occurs or they begin talking about bots as if they’re real people.
“If you notice these changes, it’s important to start the conversation with the person from a place of curiosity rather than being accusatory,” London suggests.
“Ask which AI tools are being used and what they like about them. Create a conversation where you explore the positives and negatives together. This way, the user is more likely to open up to you, and you can create a plan together.”
