Australia’s world-first social media ban came into force six months ago.
Since then, evidence has mounted that millions of children are still accessing their accounts.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said on Saturday she is “not satisfied that tech companies are doing everything they can to keep under-16s off their platforms”.
Wells said the Government will seek to increase the maximum penalty for platforms who fail to comply with the ban to $99 million.
Context
In December 2025, Australia became the first country in the world to ban children under 16 from holding social media accounts.
The law covers ten platforms: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, X, Reddit, Twitch, Threads, and Kick.
Companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” to keep under-16s off their platforms could face fines of up to $49.5 million.
Immediately following the ban, 4.7 million age-restricted accounts were removed from social platforms.
Issues
eSafety released data in March showing seven in 10 under-16s still held accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.
This week, the British Medical Journal published the results of a survey of 408 Australian adolescents, which showed 85% were still accessing social media three months after the ban took effect.
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The survey was conducted by a team of Australian researchers, who said many under-16s are able to bypass the restrictions.
Changes
On Saturday, the Government announced it would try to strengthen the ban with new legislation.
If passed, the maximum penalty for systematic failures to uphold the ban would double from $49.5 million to $99 million.
The eSafety Commissioner (who is in charge of enforcement) would also get stronger powers to force platforms to hand over evidence of what steps they have taken to comply.
Communications Minister 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... We are doubling down on our efforts to hold big tech to account.”
What’s next?
The proposed changes will need to pass Parliament to become law.
Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson said the Coalition would wait to see the bill before forming a position, but that he believed the Government “has made a complete hash of this social media ban,” which he said had “giant loopholes”.
Meanwhile, eSafety says it is actively investigating possible non-compliance by five platforms: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and TikTok.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said she has sent the targeted platforms formal notices demanding information on how they are implementing the age checks.
Reddit is separately challenging the ban in the High Court, arguing it violates the Constitution by restricting young people’s implied right to freedom of political communication.
