The Australian government announced on April 12 it will double fines for social media companies that fail to fully implement measures preventing children under 16 from accessing platforms, accusing Big Tech of evading the spirit of the ban.
Under the new bill, the maximum penalty for systemic violations will rise from 49.5 million Australian dollars (about $31 million USD) to 99 million Australian dollars ($68 million USD). The eSafety Commissioner will also be given additional powers to compel platforms to comply.
Regulators are currently investigating potential violations by Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stressed: “It’s clear Big Tech hasn’t done enough to comply with the law – there are still too many children on social media. These changes reflect how seriously we view any failure by social media companies to comply.”
The ban took effect on December 10, 2024, making Australia a global test case in efforts to curb children’s access to social media. Several countries, including the U.K., Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand, are monitoring or considering similar restrictions.
However, children continue to circumvent the law by using accounts registered under older adults’ names, creating fake profiles, or logging in through private browsers.
A review published in the British Medical Journal found “insufficient evidence” that the ban has significantly reduced social media use among adolescents. Researchers surveyed more than 400 children before and three months after the ban took effect, finding that “circumvention was widespread.”
The government said it has blocked more than 5 million accounts of users under 16, but Communications Minister Anika Wells argued that platforms have not met requirements. “Social media platforms are using tactics from the Big Tech playbook, doing just enough to get by,” Wells said.
“Social media platforms are some of the wealthiest and most powerful companies in the world, and we really want to hold them accountable,” she added.
New powers will allow the eSafety Commissioner to require platforms, age-verification companies, and app stores to provide documents and evidence. Platforms must prove they have taken “reasonable” steps to prevent children under 16 from accessing services. Some platforms use AI to estimate user age, while others allow verification with government-issued ID.
