SYDNEY — Australia is set to introduce new legislation in parliament aimed at strengthening its ban on social media use for children under the age of 16, while also expanding the powers of its internet regulator to take tech giants to court when they fail to follow the rules.
The proposed laws come after the country became the first in the world to enact such restrictions, which went into effect last December. Many other nations have been watching Australia’s approach closely, especially as evidence continues to emerge that children are still finding ways onto the platforms.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said tech companies are not doing nearly enough to comply with the existing law, and that far too many children remain active on social media.
“We’re calling time on the social media companies today and doubling down on the changes that we have made and that we’re prepared to make,” Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
“Today, we’ll introduce legislation this afternoon that goes further to ensure social media companies are doing everything within their power to stop children under 16 being on their platforms,” he added.
Australia’s internet regulator is currently investigating five platforms for possible violations: Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Google’s YouTube. Meta, Google, and Snapchat had no immediate response, while TikTok declined to offer any comment.
Albanese also urged the conservative coalition opposition to support the bill, pointing out that the original policy received backing from both sides of the political aisle.
The proposed changes, which were announced on Sunday, would double the maximum penalty for non-compliance from A$49.5 million to A$99 million — roughly $68.2 million U.S. dollars.
The new legislation would also give the eSafety Commissioner the authority to demand internal company documents, including board meeting minutes and private emails, to help build the strongest possible legal cases against platforms that are not complying.
Communications Minister Anika Wells made clear the government has no intention of backing down.
“My message to Big Tech is this: we are not stopping. Every effort you make to frustrate these laws will be met with our efforts to make these laws work,” she said.
“If the eSafety Commissioner finds companies are not doing everything they can to comply, they will face the full force of the law,” Wells added.
