Australia doubles social media ban fines to A$99 million as 85% of under-16s remain online
The Australian government will double the maximum penalty for systematic breaches of its under-16 social media ban to A$99 million, and grant the eSafety Commissioner stronger investigative powers, after studies found the law has barely reduced teen usage.
Ban shows little effect
Since the ban took effect on 10 December 2025, evidence has piled up that children are routinely bypassing age checks. A study published in the British Medical Journal on Wednesday found that 85% of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still using social media three months after the ban began. The eSafety Commission itself reported that seven in ten children under 16 who had an account before the ban retained "some access." Younger users self-declare an older age, post a selfie that platforms accept as over 16, or use accounts registered to older people, as well as private browsers. The government said more than five million accounts have been deactivated or restricted since the ban, but the numbers on the ground tell a different story.
- Social media ban for children under 16 takes effect.
- BMJ study finds 85% of 12‑15 year olds still use social media.
- Government announces doubling of maximum penalty to A$99 million.
Government response: tougher penalties
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the shortcomings on Saturday, announcing legislation that will raise the maximum fine for systematic failures from A$49.5 million to A$99 million (€60 million, US$68 million). The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, will also be able to compel platforms to hand over evidence of what steps they have taken to comply. Five platforms are already under investigation for possible non-compliance: Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Google’s YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok.
- Previous maximum
- 49.5 A$ million
- New maximum
- 99 A$ million
It's clear big tech are not doing enough to comply with the law - there are still too many children on social media.
Communications Minister Anika Wells echoed the frustration, saying platforms were "adopting tricks straight out of the big tech playbook and doing the bare minimum to get by."
Expert calls for broader regulation
Academics and opposition figures urged the government to go further. Catherine Page Jeffery, a media lecturer at the University of Sydney, said there was "no point in doubling the penalty if the regulator doesn't enforce them, and move into the enforcement mode." She and others argued for a digital duty of care that would force platforms to be more transparent about algorithms and proactively ensure safety, rather than only barring young users.
If the prime minister really is serious about staring down the big tech companies, he's got to tackle the algorithms.
The Greens senator said her party would consider the new penalty bill but saw algorithmic regulation as the real solution. The government is consulting on a duty-of-care framework but has not yet brought forward legislation.
Global momentum and legal pushback
Australia's experiment is being watched closely abroad. The UK, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, announced a similar ban in June 2026, and Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand are among countries exploring parallel restrictions. At the same time, Reddit is challenging the constitutionality of the ban in Australia's High Court on free-expression grounds, a case that could test the limits of age‑gating laws.
