Australia to double penalty for social media ban breaches to $99m as tech giants accused of ‘not doing enough’

Australia is tightening enforcement of its under-sixteen social media ban. The federal government will double penalties for breaches to ninety-nine million dollars, arguing that tech companies are not doing enough to keep young people off the platforms. The country's eSafety commissioner, currently investigating Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube for potential violations, will also receive stronger information-gathering powers. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he's heartened by the law itself, but too many children are still accessing these sites.

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