Australia to Double Penalties as Children Bypass Internet Ban

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the government will double the maximum fine for tech giants that fail to comply with the landmark ban on social media use by children under 16. The maximum penalty for systematically ignoring the rules will increase from A$49.5m ($34m) to A$99m ($68m).

In addition to financial penalties, the government will strengthen the powers of the internet regulator, which will be able to compel platforms and third parties, such as app stores, to provide evidence of their age verification procedures. Authorities are currently investigating five platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat.

Australia is taking this step following mounting evidence that the existing six-month ban had only a minimal impact on teenagers' behavior. According to a study published in the British Medical Journal, up to 85% of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still actively using social media three months after the legislation was enacted.

Although more than five million accounts were deactivated or restricted, minors easily circumvent the mechanisms put in place, such as verification via selfies or false age declarations.

Communications Minister Anika Wells accused the companies of doing only the bare minimum. The UK is also closely monitoring the Australia-inspired global trend of restrictions on young people, while the platform Reddit is attempting to overturn the Australian ban through the courts, citing freedom of speech.

(Reuters, Max)