Social Media
Albanese Signals Tougher Social Media Rules as Safety Concerns Mount
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia's world-first social media laws will be strengthened following concerns raised by the online safety regulator, signalling tougher measures to protect children online.
Australia's online social media laws could become tighter after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday confirmed his government would again look at enforcement powers, in response to the regulator being out-muscled.
This development follows a similar ‘world-first’ policy, established by Australia last year, which denies anyone under 16 a social media profile on all major social media platforms.
Albanese added that the government was willing to consider "further action" if its social media laws are found to be insufficient.
His statement followed a plea for greater powers from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who said the legislation is “difficult to enforce” despite the prospect of financial penalties for major breaches.
Compliance Remains Under Review
Under the legislation all major social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X, Twitch and Kick shall take all reasonable steps to prevent a person under the age of 16 from creating or holding an account.
Non-compliance is subject to fines of up to $49.5 million Australian dollars, but no fines have been issued since its enactment.
While the Office of the eSafety Commissioner had some victories, they haven’t yet managed to obtain full compliance from all online platforms.
Millions of underage user accounts have been suspended, removed, or deactivated, but statistics from a survey by the commissioner show that a significant majority of teenage social media users continue to utilize their accounts, and around 30% of parents have indicated that their children still access these platforms.
The government is also exploring the expansion of responsibilities for online platforms to address various online dangers, such as those potentially stemming from algorithmic recommendations.
Child Online Safety Under Global Scrutiny
In terms of the rigor of their social media regulations among developed nations, Australia is at the forefront.
While no age minimum exists in the United Kingdom, and companies are expected to protect children via the Online Safety Act, France has raised its age requirement to 15, and Norway is considering similar changes.
Similar to the EU's Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act in Europe places similar duties on major digital service providers to manage risks.
In addition, recent academic findings are playing a role. However, a study published in The BMJ in June 2026 reported that many Australian teens can still get access to social media despite the age restrictions and pointed out that age-based controls may be harder to enforce if there were better age verification procedures.
Separately, three "nudifying" websites utilizing AI technology have been removed from Australia following action by the eSafety Commissioner, as Australia waits to put robust age-assurance systems in place.
This regulatory re-evaluation is largely due to the enduring influence of social media across Australia.
DataReportal's 'Digital 2026 Australia' report reveals that more than 4 out of 5 Australians use social media, which sets a high bar for technology companies operating within the country's jurisdiction to meet their compliance obligations.
This review signifies that the Australian government will be paying closer attention to the nation's online safety measures in the coming years, one of the world's most watched. This could have implications for both local Australian companies and large multinational tech firms.
Source: The Sydney Morning
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