Australia is cracking down on social media companies that fail to comply with its minimum age law, doubling the maximum penalty for breaches to £51.7m. The move is part of efforts to protect children's online safety, with the Australian government acknowledging that many children are still able to access and use banned platforms despite the ban coming into effect in December 2025.
Children under 16 have been prevented from 10 key social media platforms in Australia since the ban was introduced, but investigations have been opened into the alleged non-compliance of five banned platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. The eSafety Commissioner will also be able to compel social media companies to provide evidence of what steps they have taken to comply with the ban.
The harsher penalties and increased powers for the eSafety Commissioner are aimed at making it easier for the regulator to investigate and enforce compliance with the law. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the government is 'doubling down on platforms that are not doing enough' to keep children off social media. The move is seen as a step towards greater regulation of social media companies, with the UK considering a similar ban for under-16s.
The UK's plans to introduce a similar ban were announced in June 2026, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer saying that it would come into effect by spring 2027. A complete list of affected platforms has not yet been released, but the government said it would cover those 'whose purpose is to enable social interaction and which allow users to post material'. An overnight curfew and measures to stop infinite scrolling for under-18s are also being considered as part of the legislation.