Australia social media ban: fines doubled to AUD 99 million as enforcement tightens

Australia social media ban fines rise

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced this week that the maximum penalty for breaching the country’s under‑16 social media ban will jump from ↓ AUD49.5 million to ↑ AUD99 million, a move aimed at curbing platform workarounds.

Since the Online Safety Amendment Act took effect on 10 December, more than five million teen accounts have been removed, deactivated or restricted, yet officials say the effort falls short.

“Platforms are employing the same tricks as big‑tech giants, doing the bare minimum to stay compliant,” said Communications Minister Anika Wells.

The eSafety Commissioner, already probing Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, will gain authority to demand evidence from age‑verification services and app‑store operators, closing a loophole that let firms shift responsibility.

Analysts note the penalty hike could pressure firms to invest in robust verification, but it also raises questions about enforcement capacity in a post‑pandemic digital surge.

For further context, see Reuters coverage of Australia’s online safety push.

Dispatch from Vance Sterling (Crisis & Global Conflict Director).