In a move that ratchets up the pressure on tech giants, the Australian government is set to double the penalty for breaches of its social media ban for under-16s. Sources confirm the fine will jump to AUD 5 million, up from AUD 2.5 million, effective immediately.
The legislation, passed last year, prohibits minors from using platforms like Meta's Instagram and TikTok without parental consent. Now, the government is signalling it means business. Meanwhile, Britain is watching closely.
Whitehall insiders tell me ministers are drawing up plans for a similar crackdown. The Online Safety Act already imposes fines of up to 10 per cent of global turnover for failures to protect children, but a specific ban for under-16s is now on the table. A source in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: 'Australia is the test case.
If it works, we'll follow.' The tech industry is pushing back hard. Lobbyists argue the fines are disproportionate and that enforcement is practically impossible.
They claim the bans drive kids to darker corners of the web. But governments aren't listening. The Australian prime minister, facing an election, wants to win over parents.
In Britain, with a general election looming, the betting is that Labour would go even further. The money trail here is clear. The fines are designed to hurt.
For Meta and TikTok, 5 million Australian dollars is pocket change. But double it, and the signal is loud: comply or pay. The real danger for the platforms is a cascade effect.
If Britain joins, Canada and the EU will follow. Then it's a domino. My source inside the Australian eSafety Commissioner's office confirms they are already preparing enforcement teams.
'We've got the tools. Now we need the will.' The digital giants are facing an existential threat: not from regulation, but from a coordinated global backlash.
And the cash cow of teenage users is under threat. Watch for Britain's announcement within weeks. The suits are running scared.
And they should be.
