The Australian government has announced plans to double the maximum fines for violating the minimum age of social media users to 99 million Australian dollars (about 64 million US dollars), BBC News reported.
Under the updated legislation, the eSafety Commissioner will also have the right to request evidence from social platforms about the measures taken to comply with the law.
From December 2025, there will be a ban on using 10 major social platforms for users under the age of 16 in Australia. However, as the authorities admit, a significant number of teenagers continue to access these services.
Investigations have already been launched into five platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube regarding possible non-compliance with the rules.
Although the initiative received wide attention when it was launched, its implementation has been difficult. In February, BBC reporters visited a Sydney school where most students who had used social media before the ban came into effect said they still had access to it.
According to a report by the regulator eSafety Commission, around seven in ten children under the age of 16 who previously had social media accounts still retain "some access" to the platforms.
The government's announcement states that the stiffening of the fines reflects the intention to "intensify the pressure on those platforms that do not operate sufficiently to ensure compliance with the law." It is also emphasized that the expansion of the powers of the regulator will allow to conduct more effective investigations and apply coercive measures.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he welcomed global interest in the initiative, but expressed concern that tech companies were "not doing enough" to enforce restrictions and continue to allow children to use social media.
Australian Communications Minister Annika Wells also said she was not satisfied with the companies' efforts, saying they were using "typical tricks of big tech corporations" and were limited to the bare minimum.
In recent months, a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, have announced plans to introduce similar restrictions. In June 2026, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to ban access to social media for children under the age of 16, and the law is expected to come into effect by spring 2027.
