Australia gets tough

AUSTRALIA plans to double potential fines for social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, who fail to prevent Australian children from holding accounts, as critics have claimed the world-first ban on under-16s was failing.

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Australia’s communications minister, Anika Wells, blamed the platforms’ resistance to the age restrictions for the need to toughen the laws that came into force last December.

“We can all agree we would like the scheme to work better than it is currently, but that is on Big Tech taking the Mickey,” Ms Wells told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The Australian government announced on Sunday it would introduce draft legislation into Parliament this week that would double the maximum fine to AUS$99 million (£51 million) for platforms that fail to take reasons steps to prevent Australian children from holding accounts.