Eight months after Australia’s ban, teen TikTok use is down one percentage point

Eight months after Australia’s under-16 TikTok ban, 26% of 13-to-15-year-olds still use the app, a one-percentage-point drop from pre-ban levels. Usage fell sharply at launch but has steadily risen, with younger 10-to-12-year-olds now exceeding pre-ban rates, indicating workarounds such as mis-stated ages, VPNs, and weak age checks. WhatsApp usage rose from 27% to 36% among the same age group, showing displaced activity to exempt platforms.