United Kingdom, June 25 -- Australia's landmark ban on social media for under-16s has made little difference to teenage usage, according to a major new study published in The BMJ.

Researchers from the University of Newcastle found that around 85 per cent of children under the age of 16 continue to use social media despite legislation introduced last December to prevent them from accessing the platforms.

The findings suggest the world's first nationwide social media ban has so far had only a limited impact on young people's online behaviour.

Daily social media use remained unchanged among children aged 12 to 13, while usage among 14 to 15-year-olds fell from 78 per cent to 69 per cent. Among those aged over 16, daily use increased by ni...