Labor tightens enforcement of social media ban for under-16s

The federal government has unveiled tougher penalties and strengthened regulatory powers to enforce Australia's world-leading social media age restrictions, signalling that tech giants are not adequately complying with laws introduced last December.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the proposed legislation would double maximum penalties for technology companies breaching the age verification requirements, whilst expanding the eSafety Commissioner's enforcement authority to ensure platforms comply with the ban.

"There are still too many children on social media," Mr Albanese stated on Saturday evening. "Big tech companies are not doing enough to comply with the law."

Scope of the ban expands

The restrictions apply to major platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Facebook, Twitch, and Reddit. Since December 2025, these services have been legally required to implement reasonable age verification measures to prevent under-16s from creating or maintaining accounts.

Early enforcement data appears to have prompted the government's reassessment of penalties and regulatory tools, with evidence suggesting younger users continue accessing restricted platforms despite the legal framework.

Strengthened regulatory framework

Under the proposed amendments, the eSafety Commissioner will gain enhanced powers to investigate compliance breaches and enforce remedial action. The doubling of maximum penalties represents a significant escalation in the financial consequences for non-compliance, placing pressure on technology companies to invest more substantially in age verification systems.

The legislation is expected to address enforcement gaps identified in the initial implementation phase, where platforms have faced criticism for insufficient investment in verification mechanisms.

Timeline and parliamentary priorities

The government intends to legislate the tougher penalties and expanded Commissioner powers before parliament breaks for the winter recess, prioritising the measure as part of its child safety agenda.

The move reflects broader international scrutiny of social media's impact on young people's mental health and wellbeing, positioning Australia as a policy leader in age-restricted platform access whilst balancing industry concerns about implementation costs.

Original source: ABC News