Australia doubles fines for social media breaches as under-16 ban enforcement falters

Australia has announced plans to double the maximum penalty for social media companies that fail to enforce its world-first under-16 social media ban, raising the fine from 49.5 million to 99 million Australian dollars. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the measure on Saturday, June 27, stating that technology companies are not doing enough to comply with the ban that took effect on December 10, 2025. The government will also grant Australia's eSafety Commissioner enhanced investigative powers to demand evidence and documents from social media platforms, age-verification companies, and app-store providers to ensure compliance.

Despite the ban's implementation six months ago, enforcement has proven challenging. A University of Newcastle study released in late June 2026 found that more than 85 percent of children under 16 continue to use social media by circumventing the rules through workarounds such as fake accounts, accounts registered to older people, or private browsers. The eSafety Commission has flagged five companies for potential non-compliance: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. The government claims more than 5 million underage accounts have been removed, deactivated, or restricted, yet seven out of ten children who had accounts before the ban still retain some access.

Communications Minister Anika Wells stated that platforms are "adopting tricks straight out of the Big Tech playbook and doing the bare minimum to get by." She emphasized that the world's richest and most powerful companies must be held accountable for their actions. The Australian government has indicated its intention to legislate these changes before parliament's winter break. Some platforms use artificial intelligence to estimate ages, while others offer government ID verification options, but these measures have proven insufficient.

Australia's experience is being closely monitored by other nations considering similar restrictions. Indonesia has already enforced a ban for children under 16 from March 2026, and France is progressing legislation to ban those under 15. The United Kingdom, Denmark, Greece, the United Arab Emirates, and New Zealand have announced plans to introduce comparable age restrictions. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in June 2026 that the UK would implement a similar ban for children under 16, with implementation planned for spring 2027. The broader legislative landscape suggests a growing global consensus on restricting children's access to social media platforms.