Penalty for tech companies dodging Australia's social media ban to double

28 Jun 2026, 19:04 Updated: 2h ago The Australian social media ban came into effect last year, but has proved difficult to enforce, as the majority of children still had "some access" 28 Jun 2026, 19:04 | Updated: 2h ago Social media has been banned for under-16s in Australia since December 2025. Picture: Alamy Australia is taking a tougher line on its under-16 social media ban as the government doubles the maximum fine for companies who don’t comply. The Australian plan would raise the maximum penalty for serious breaches to $99 million.Australia banned social media for under-16s last year, with the UK government announcing in June 2026 that it will implement a similar policy.But the Australian ban has proved hard to enforce, as eight out of ten children still have "some access" to social media, prompting the government to increase the penalties for tech companies.As part of the updated legislation, 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.Read more: Ofcom must get tougher on tech firms if under-16s social media ban is to work, says Technology SecretaryRead more: Babies and toddlers should have no screen time, says landmark study Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said they were 'doubling down' on tech companies. Picture: Alamy Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was “doubling down” on companies that are not doing enough. "There are still too many children on social media," he added.His Minister for Communications Anika Wells said, ""It is clear to me that social media platforms are adopting tricks straight out of the big tech playbook and doing the bare minimum to get by."She added that she was "not satisfied" tech companies are doing "everything they can" to keep children from using the banned products. Keir Starmer announced in June 2026 that the UK would ban social media for children. Picture: Alamy The Australian case is already being watched closely in the UK, where ministers have now announced plans for a similar under-16 social media ban.The UK government announced in June 2026 it would implement a similar ban for under-16s to come into affect in 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".It added that an overnight curfew and measures to stop infinite scrolling for under-18s were also being considered as part of the legislation.

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