Australian, US Parents Support a Social Media Ban but Their Children Dont, New Study Finds

There are areas of agreement across the age divide, including support for teen-specific privacy protections and opposition to smartphone use in classrooms.A teenager holds a mobile phone displaying a message from social media platform Instagram after the account was locked for age verification in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 9, 2025. AFP via Getty Images12/9/2025|Updated: 12/9/2025A new survey conducted in the United States and Australia reveals sharp generational divides in support for an under-16 social media ban and in beliefs about government enforcement.The Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) commissioned Ipsos to interview 4,000 parents and children aged 10 to 17.Rex Widerstrom is a New Zealand-based reporter with over 40 years of experience in media, including radio and print. He is currently a presenter for Hutt Radio.Author’s Selected Articles