Australia Proposes Doubling Fines for Social Media Platforms Over Child Account Access

Miami Fort Lauderdale, FL, June 29, 2026 —

Australia is proposing to significantly increase the penalties for social media companies that do not adequately prevent underage children from creating accounts on their platforms. The move targets major social media services, including those operated by Meta Platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram.

Under the proposed changes, the potential fines that could be levied against these platforms for non-compliance would be doubled. This aims to strengthen regulatory oversight and compel companies to implement more robust age verification and account creation safeguards for minors.

The specific amount of the increased fines was not detailed in the summary. Similarly, the timeline for when these proposed changes would take effect or whether they have been formally introduced as legislation was not provided. The summary also did not specify the exact measures platforms are expected to implement to prevent children from creating accounts.

This proposed regulatory action reflects a growing concern among governments worldwide regarding the impact of social media on young people and the responsibility of platforms to protect vulnerable users. The doubling of potential fines signals a stronger stance by Australian authorities in enforcing child protection measures within the digital space.

Further details regarding the legislative process, the precise mechanisms for age verification, and the exact penalty amounts are anticipated as the proposal moves forward.

Story summarized from the original created by The Associated Press on www.npr.org, see more information here.

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