Australia to double penalty for social media ban breaches to $99m as tech giants accused of ‘not doing enough’
Summary
Australia plans to double the fine for companies that break its social media ban for children under 16, raising the penalty to $99 million. The government is also giving more power to the eSafety commissioner to investigate tech companies like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube for not properly preventing children from using their platforms.Key Facts
- Australia introduced a law on December 10 banning children under 16 from using social media.
- More than 5 million accounts belonging to under-16s have been removed or restricted since the ban started.
- Research shows that over 80% of children under 16 still access social media despite the law.
- The government will increase the fine for breaking the ban from $49.5 million to $99 million.
- The eSafety commissioner will have stronger powers to demand information and evidence from social media companies to check their compliance.
- Some countries, like France and the UK, are planning similar social media age restrictions.
- A study found that age checks on social media accounts are often weak, with only a small number required to provide official ID.
- Many children said they bypassed restrictions to use social media even when under the age limit.
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