Australian teens booted off social media are migrating to WhatsApp where they are being exposed to unregulated, explicit, and violent content.
Chat threads populated by hundreds of users understood to be Australian teens are surging in popularity, giving kids an unmonitored place for discussions about relationships, self harm, and the sharing of personal details.
Principals’ Federation of WA president Kya Graves said members had reported their students being exposed to violent and pornographic images on WhatsApp group chats — and warned there was no guarantee users on the other end were indeed children themselves.
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“They’re not avoiding social media apps or choosing to get around them but rather they’re going across to WhatsApp as a place to interact and communicate,” Ms Graves said.
“What’s concerning about that is that it’s unmonitored and anyone with a mobile phone number can be added to a group.
“These groups can have thousands of people and sometimes all sorts of media types in them, photos, web links and the like in a space that’s not captured in the ban.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 9: Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to media as he reacts to the local Council Election results at AFC Wimbledon on May 9, 2026 in London, England. In response to what is being seen as a disastrous set of results for Labour in the 2026 Local Elections Starmer says “the local election results do not mean tacking left or right; but mean we must bring together a broad political movement, one that is assertive in its values and bold in its vision. (Photo by Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images) Credit: Alishia Abodunde/Getty Images
Some of the conversations seen by The Nightly have included what appears to be under age girls sharing thoughts of suicide. A user of a channel titled “Aussie teens n tweens” had urged people not to “post a slash flash” after a user had shared one which they described as a “self-harm photo”.
“I’m going to kms (kill myself) I’m sick of my flipping crap family,” another user wrote.
Another message stated “I decided I’m going to end it tomorrow night just saying bye” followed by the heart emoji.
The messages, which were posted in separate channels, were followed with support and pleas for users not to self-harm.
In a chat titled “For The Girls” one users asks for advice “ASAP” saying “The most popular guy in year 10 added me on snap and I sent a really good mirror pic but I didn’t show my face and now he wants to know who I am but if I tell him he won’t walk to me anymore”.
In a similar chat where girls ask for advice, one user shared her concerns about her 13-year-old friend who had recently got into a relationship with an 18-year-old.
Group of young people using and looking at mobile phone while sitting together Credit: Adobe/Farknot Architect – stock.adobe.
In other channels, it appears children share personal details like their recent location, their school year or age, their sexuality, when they got their first period or insecurities like their “flat chest”.
“So, you live in WA and you’re yr (year) 7!? Me too,” one user in an Aussie tagged channel had posted.
In another, a student told a group of almost 350 people where their school camp was going and where they planned to sleep that evening.
One teen girl complained about the social media ban when a follower had encouraged her to “start a yt (YouTube) channel”.
“Yess I would love to. But the U16 ban is in the way… and parents wound not like me to” she had responded, followed by a crying emoji.
Messaging apps and gaming platforms were excluded from the December ban.
In Australia, WhatsApp’s minimum age policy is 13, but doesn’t require users to undertake age verifications like other apps. The platform states that it has a series of security tools and guardrails like automatic spam detection, proactive security alerts, block and report options, parental controls, and end-to-end encryption.
Meta was contacted for comment but didn’t respond before deadline.
The social media laws had initially banned 10 platforms — YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, TikTok, Twitch, Snapchat, Reddit, and Kick.
It was extended to 11 lesser known platforms including Bluesky, Yubo, Wizz, Lemon8, BigoLive, as well as match services Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid, Plenty of Fish, Match.com and Azar.
The Albanese Government has previously expressed desire to counter danger in other apps, which aren’t currently captured, through its proposed Digital Duty of Care.
It comes as a string of other nations including Canada and the UK follow Australia’s lead in implementing social media bans. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer claims his proposed youth social media ban will be “better”, faster, and apply extra protections for teens under 18 as he aims to create a global “blueprint”.
The planned “Australia-Plus” model will cover more features, including overnight curfews, a livestreaming ban and restricting gaming site messaging and romantic AI chatbots.
Sir Keir said he would learn from the legal lessons from Down Under to shape a watertight ban, which will be “world-leading” in its reach.
“I think we’ll be better at enforcing it, actually, having learned from the Australian model,” Sir Keir said.
“The services that are likely to be in scope of the ban, they’re not dissimilar to those in Australia, although I think ours possibly go a bit further.
“Certainly, I hope that on the enforcement side we will do better than that.
“We looked carefully at the evidence, learned from countries like Australia that are taking similar steps, and we’re not just bringing forward a ban, we’re going further.
“We’re taking world-leading action on gaming services and live streaming platforms.”
Sir Keir said under-18s will be reached through mandatory overnight curfews on apps, however, the hours haven’t been finalised yet.
The restrictions on livestreaming — whether it be dedicated services on gaming sites — will be split depending on age.
Under-16s are entirely banned and those over but under 18 cut off by default from anonymous messaging and communication with strangers.
Older teens will be able to actively decide to change their settings to opt-in.
So confident in his approach, Sir Keir expressed hope that the UK model would become the “blueprint” for the world to follow to protect children online.
“Countries will want to learn, just as we wanted to learn from Australia and go and explore how far they’d got,” Sir Keir said.
“Other countries I think will be now looking to the UK to see whether that doesn’t provide a blueprint for them.
“And I hope it does because I want children to be safe, whatever country they live in.”
It came just hours before he joined world leaders at the G7 summit in France, including Donald Trump who has previously railed against foreign countries trying to regulate US tech companies.
Minister for Communications Anika Wells welcomed other nations following Australia’s lead.
“Australia congratulates the United Kingdom on joining us in delaying access to social media,” Ms Wells told The Nightly.
“The UK has acknowledged the impact of our world-leading social media minimum age law in making this decision for British young people.
“While it’s important that each jurisdiction implements a social media ban in a way that is right for their country, together we are stronger in our efforts to protect children from online harms.
“The next step in Australia’s mission to keep young people safe online is introducing a digital duty of care, which will apply to all online services that operate in Australia, including online games, chatbots and companions, messaging services and social media.
“The Digital Duty of Care puts the onus on tech big to prevent harm from occurring on their platforms.”
Like Australia, Sir Keir said the onus would be on platforms not parents to enforce the restrictions.
