Australia is doubling down on Big Tech. The government in Canberra announced on Saturday that the maximum financial penalty for platforms found breaching its landmark under-16 social media ban will be raised to A$99 million (£51.7 million), nearly double the previous cap of A$49.5 million that had been in place since the law took effect in December 2025.
The move signals growing frustration from the Australian government after months of evidence suggesting the ban has not been effectively enforced. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said plainly: 'There are still too many children on social media.' His communications minister, Anika Wells, was even blunter, accusing platforms of adopting 'tricks straight out of the big tech playbook and doing the bare minimum to get by.'
