Australia's world-first ban on social media for children under 16 is not working as planned. Now the government is taking a much tougher approach — by doubling the fines for tech companies that fail to keep young teens off their platforms.
The federal government will introduce draft legislation this week to increase the maximum penalty for breaches to $99 million. The move comes after reports show the ban, which came into force on Dec. 10, has largely failed to stop children from accessing sites like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Why the ban is failing
According to a report cited by the Albanese Government, a staggering 85% of teens are still using social media platforms despite the ban. Nearly a fifth of under-16s are using fake accounts to bypass the restrictions.
The New York Times reports that six months in, most indications are that the law has largely failed at keeping young teens off the platforms, in what it calls a disappointing start to an ambitious experiment.
Government blames Big Tech
Communications Minister Anika Wells on Monday blamed the platforms' resistance to the age restrictions for the need to toughen the laws.
"We can all agree we would like the scheme to work better than it is currently, but that is on Big Tech taking the Mickey," Wells told the Australian Broadcasting Corp., using an Australian slang term for deceiving, teasing or mocking.
According to The Guardian, the government argues tech companies are "not doing enough" to keep children off harmful social media sites.
Doubling down on enforcement
The government announced Sunday it would introduce draft legislation into Parliament this week that would double the maximum fine to $99 million. The BBC reports that Australia is doubling penalties for platforms in breach of the social media ban.
The Australian government has doubled down on enforcing of its social media bans for under-16s, increasing fines to $99 million for companies that fail to comply.
Our Take: Fines alone won't fix the problem
Doubling fines to $99 million sends a strong message, but it is hard to see how this alone will solve the problem. If 85% of teens are still accessing social media, the issue is not just about enforcement — it is about the fundamental challenge of age verification online.
Tech companies have been slow to implement effective age-checking systems, and children have proven remarkably good at finding workarounds. The government is right to be frustrated, but simply raising penalties without addressing how platforms can actually verify ages may not produce different results.
In our view, Australia needs to focus on practical solutions — better age verification technology, more cooperation from tech companies, and perhaps education for parents and children — rather than just making the fines bigger. Otherwise, the government may find itself doubling down again in another six months.
