SYDNEY, June 27 - Australia said on Saturday it will raise the cap on penalties for tech firms that repeatedly fail to enforce the country's under‑16 social media minimum age rule, and strengthen the investigatory reach of its internet safety regulator to compel proof of compliance.
Under the announced changes, the maximum fine for systematic breaches of the ban will increase to A$99 million from A$49.5 million. The government also intends to expand the eSafety Commissioner’s powers so the regulator can demand information from social media companies about the steps they have taken to prevent children under 16 from obtaining accounts.
The government confirmed that eSafety is actively probing possible non‑compliance by five platforms: Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, Google’s YouTube, Snap’s Snapchat and TikTok. Google, Meta, Snap and TikTok did not immediately provide comment outside regular business hours when contacted about the announced measures.
Australia’s social media minimum age ban, which has been in effect for six months, is being observed internationally by jurisdictions considering similar safeguards because of concerns surrounding social media’s effects on youth mental and physical health. The British government has said it will propose broader restrictions that would include gaming and live‑streaming services.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement that while there has been a global shift in discourse since the ban’s introduction, technology companies are not doing enough to comply with the law and that too many children remain on social platforms. The statement said that since the ban took effect, more than 5 million accounts registered to under‑16s have been either deactivated or restricted.
However, multiple studies referenced by the government and others indicate many adolescents are still online. A study published in the British Medical Journal that surveyed 408 adolescents found that 85% of Australians aged 12 to 15 continued to use social media three months after the ban began. The research reported that roughly two‑thirds of underage users stayed active by either declaring an older age or submitting a selfie that platforms accepted as indicating they were over 16.
The government said evidence has mounted that age‑assurance mechanisms implemented by tech firms can be easily circumvented and that in many instances children were not asked to prove their age. The law updates announced on Saturday will also permit the eSafety Commissioner to collect information from third parties, including age‑assurance providers and app store operators, to verify claims made by social media companies.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said the regular updates she receives from the regulator indicate platforms are largely doing the minimum required to avoid breaching the law. She characterized some of the companies’ approaches to compliance as adopting tactics that obstruct vigorous enforcement.
The government noted it has not yet set a date to take the legislative amendments to parliament and that further details will be provided in due course.
Separately, the message board Reddit is challenging the ban in Australia’s highest court on free speech grounds; the government has said it will defend the legislation.
The announcement comes amid public comment from Sydney residents. One local, Penny Lilley, expressed skepticism that higher fines will change platform behavior when those companies derive significant revenue from user engagement. Another resident, Zara Keats, said she had seen limited follow‑through from platforms and that some family members continued to use services despite the legal restriction.
The government also acknowledged that an industry body representing technology suppliers has pointed to weak deployment of available age‑verification tools by social media platforms as a key factor complicating enforcement, rather than inherent technical limits.
Currency conversion noted in the government statement was provided as A$1 = $0.69 (1 Australian dollar = 0.6897 U.S. dollars based on the rate cited in the source material).
Context and enforcement mechanics
The expanded powers for the eSafety Commissioner mean that, beyond seeking information from platforms, the regulator will be able to subpoena evidence from vendors that provide age‑assurance services and app distribution channels. That will assist the regulator in testing platform claims about the efficacy of their age checks and other measures implemented to prevent under‑16s from obtaining accounts.
By increasing the maximum penalty for systematic breaches to A$99 million, Australia is signaling a tougher approach to enforcement intended to incentivize platforms to strengthen verification processes and compliance systems. The government framed the step as a response to weak outcomes to date, as underage accounts remain widespread despite deactivations and restrictions applied since the ban's inception.
Open legal contest
Reddit’s legal challenge in the country’s top court introduces a legal uncertainty around the long‑term enforcement of the ban. The government has stated its intention to defend the law in that litigation, which could affect how the rules are interpreted if the court engages with free speech arguments.