Australia’s impending ban on social media use for young people is prompting brands and security specialists to reassess how they approach digital engagement, risk and education, as marketers and technology firms weigh the implications for both online behaviour and commercial strategy.

The restrictions, which are expected to remove mainstream social platforms from the daily lives of many under-16s, are being closely watched by international brands operating in Australia and by cyber security experts focused on human risk.

Behaviour focus

Security specialists argue that limits on platform access will not, on their own, address the root causes of digital risk. The discussion is shifting towards digital literacy and the ways people interact with technology at work, at home and in education.

Thomas Fikentscher, Area Vice President ANZ, CyberArk, said, “The upcoming social media ban has sparked a wider conversation about digital literacy, online behaviour and risk awareness. Restrictions may reduce exposure on the surface, but they won’t solve the underlying issue: human behaviour. Behaviour is what drives risk, and real resilience comes from helping people understand how they interact with technology – not simply limiting what they can access. Balancing policy enforcement with cultural change means investing in education so individuals recognise the impact of their actions and the content they consume. You can restrict platforms, but you can’t ban human error.”

Security teams in both the public and private sectors are expected to track whether a platform ban leads to changes in phishing, social engineering and other attacks that rely on social media content. Many of these threats exploit predictable user behaviour, including oversharing and weak privacy settings.

Organisations that already run security awareness programmes are likely to use the policy shift as a case study in how rules and controls intersect with human behaviour. The focus is increasingly on training individuals to recognise manipulation, misinformation and fraud regardless of channel.

Brand response

For consumer brands, the most immediate impact lies in the loss or reduction of direct access to younger audiences on major social networks. UK-based agencies working with global clients say this is forcing a reassessment of channel strategy in Australia and potentially in other markets that may consider similar moves.

Charlie Terry, Founder, CEEK, said, “For UK brands, this shift shouldn’t be seen purely as a barrier but as an acceleration toward more meaningful engagement. The next wave of youth marketing won’t be built on passive scrolling but on immersive experiences, communities, and owned channels. We’ll see new platforms rise, new formats emerge, and smarter ways to reach young audiences in safe, compliant environments. The brands prepared to innovate will come out ahead.”

“My advice to brands marketing or thinking about expanding into the Australian market is: Diversify your channel mix and don’t rely solely on social media, consider email marketing, community outreach, influencers outside mainstream platforms, or collaborations with local schools, youth organisations, or offline events. Consider long-term brand building and invest in aspirational storytelling, lifestyle branding, or content that resonates across ages (not just social-native youth).”

“Young consumers will increasingly rely on Google, YouTube, and AI assistants to find products, answers, and inspiration. Brands need to prioritise structured content, SEO, and AI-readable data so they’re surfaced in recommendation engines. Australia’s ban signals the end of the one-size-fits-all social strategy, for brands in the market adaptability just became the biggest competitive advantage,” said Terry.

Channel shifts

Marketers see search, video platforms and AI assistants playing a greater role in discovery as social reach contracts among younger demographics. That is likely to increase spend on search engine optimisation, content design and measurement of organic discovery, alongside investment in first-party data and loyalty programmes.

Brands are also examining how to build communities through owned or partially owned environments, such as forums, apps and membership programmes that comply with age and privacy rules. Partnerships with schools, youth groups and local organisations may become more common as substitutes for digital-only youth campaigns.

Global media groups will be monitoring whether the Australian move leads to further regulatory action in other regions. Some industry executives expect that any demonstrable reduction in harms could encourage similar restrictions elsewhere, while others are concerned about fragmentation of marketing strategies across markets.

Education priority

The policy debate has highlighted a growing consensus that technical limits on access must be accompanied by education that helps children and adults recognise digital risks. Cyber security leaders argue that training in critical thinking, privacy awareness and responsible sharing will remain central, regardless of which platforms are in use.

Some businesses see an opportunity to integrate digital literacy modules into staff training and school outreach programmes, aligning corporate responsibility with the new regulatory environment. Others are reassessing how they brief agencies and influencers to ensure compliance with age-based restrictions while maintaining brand visibility.

The adjustment period is expected to be watched closely by regulators, educators and commercial players as they assess how behavioural patterns, advertising spend and cyber risk respond to one of the most far-reaching social media restrictions in a major market.