Australia PM: ‘too many children on social media’, ban too easy to avoid

Australia is increasing penalties for tech firms that fail to prevent children under 16 from accessing social media. The maximum penalty for systematic failures will double to A$99 million. This action comes as evidence suggests the existing ban has been ineffective in reducing teen social media use. The government will also enhance the powers of the eSafety Commissioner, enabling the regulator to compel social media companies to provide proof of their efforts to block underage accounts. These changes aim to strengthen the enforcement of the child social media ban.