Australia said it would double the maximum penalty it can impose on tech firms found to have failed to uphold a groundbreaking social media ban for children, as evidence mounts that the ban has had little effect on teen use.
The government will also expand the eSafety Commissioner’s powers, allowing it to require social media companies to provide evidence of steps taken to prevent under-16s from creating accounts.
Under the changes, the maximum penalty for systematic failures to uphold the ban jumps to A$99 million ($68 million) from A$49.5 million.
Australia's six-month-old ban is being closely watched by many nations seeking to emulate it due to concerns about the impact of social media on youth mental and physical health.
Britain this month said it planned restrictions that go further as gaming and live-streaming platforms will also be affected.
"I'm heartened by the shift in conversation and the global momentum we’ve seen since introducing the social media minimum age, but it’s clear big tech are not doing enough to comply with the law – there are still too many children on social media," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement.
The statement said that since the ban has been put in place more than 5 million under-16 accounts have been deactivated or restricted.
However, several studies show that age-verification methods introduced by tech companies, such as selfie checks, are easily bypassed by children, and in many cases users are not even asked to verify their age.
According to a study published in the British Medical Journal this week, which looked at 408 adolescents, 85% of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still using social media three months after the ban took effect.
Two-thirds of underage users stayed online by self-declaring an age over 16 or posting a selfie that the platform accepted as over 16, it said.
In addition to giving the regulator power to demand information from social media platforms, planned legal changes will also allow it to collect data from third parties such as age-assurance providers and app stores. This is aimed at helping verify and test claims made by the platforms.
A spokesperson for the prime minister said that the timing of when the amendments to the law would be introduced to parliament had not yet been decided, but the government would have more to say on the matter soon.
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The UK has become the latest country to annouce a social media ban for children under 16. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer made the announcement on Monday, adding that he will impose restrictions on gaming and livestreaming platforms as well.
Just one week after a similar move by Australia, Greece announced that it will ban access to social media for children under the age of 15 from January 1, 2027, as governments around the world weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
In a parliamentary vote on Wednesday (22 April), Turkish lawmakers approved legislation designed to protect minors from harmful online content. Passed after lengthy deliberations, the measure includes an outright ban on social media use by children under 15.
Authorities in China have launched an investigation into a wave of online bullying targeting Olympic diving champion Quan Hongchan, as concerns grow over the impact of toxic fan behaviour on young public figures.
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
Japan remained on high alert Saturday as Typhoon Mekkhala approached the eastern coast after Typhoon Higos weakened into a tropical depression. Authorities warned of continued heavy rain, flooding, and landslides, according to media reports.
France said on Saturday it was considering taking reciprocal measures after Burkina Faso broke off diplomatic relations.
ANEWZ can exclusively report that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to visit Azerbaijan on 1 July.
Venezuela’s government said on Saturday that 1,600 foreign rescue personnel have arrived to assist in the search for survivors of the devastating twin earthquakes that killed more than 900 people this week.
France said on Saturday it was considering taking reciprocal measures after Burkina Faso broke off diplomatic relations.
Ukrainian-made Flamingo missiles hit a plant producing artillery systems and components for missile launch systems in Russia's Volgograd region overnight, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday.
A light aircraft crash into a high-rise building in Beijing's Chaoyang district on Friday killed one person and injured 13, the district government said on Saturday in a statement posted on its social media account.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 27 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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