Australia plans to strengthen laws banning children from social media
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to toughen laws banning children under 16 from social media. The government is prioritizing new powers for the eSafety Commissioner and increasing penalties for tech companies. These moves follow reports that a large number of children are still accessing platforms.
What changed
The government is doubling potential fines for tech firms to $99 million and increasing the eSafety Commissioner's powers.
Live updates
-
Australia to Strengthen Under-16 Social Media Ban Enforcement
confidence 90%Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to toughen laws banning children under 16 from social media. The government is prioritizing new powers for the eSafety Commissioner and increasing penalties for tech companies. These moves follow reports that a large number of children are still accessing platforms.
What's confirmed:
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated the government is prioritizing the strengthening of laws banning children under 16 from social media platforms.
- The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 took effect on 10 December 2025.
- The Australian government plans to double penalties for social media ban breaches to $99 million.
- The government is strengthening the powers of the eSafety Commissioner to enforce the ban.
Still unconfirmed:
- Eighty per cent of Australian children are escaping the social media ban.
- More than 85% of children under 16 are still online months after the ban.
- Four in five under-16s in Australia are using social media despite the ban.