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Australia Doubles Fines on Big Tech for Child Safety
27 Jun
Summary
- Australia to double social media fines for failing to keep kids off platforms.
- New legislation raises maximum penalty to AUD 99 million for breaches.
- Regulator investigates Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
Australia is doubling its fines for social media companies that fail to prevent children under 16 from using their platforms. The government announced that new legislation will raise the maximum penalty for systemic breaches from 49.5 million to 99 million Australian dollars. This move underscores a growing global concern over the online safety of young people.
The current under-16 ban, implemented in December 2025, has faced challenges as children continue to circumvent the rules through various methods. Despite efforts, a recent study found "substantial circumvention" of the ban. The Australian government asserts that social media platforms are falling short of compliance and are not taking sufficient steps.
The enhanced legislation will grant the eSafety Commissioner stronger powers, including the ability to demand documents and evidence from platforms. Companies must demonstrate they have made "reasonable steps" to exclude under-16s, with methods ranging from AI age estimation to government ID verification.
