New Social Media Regulations
Australia Proposes Tougher Social Media Penalties And New Algorithmic Regulations
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Key Points
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Treasurer Jim Chalmers has framed algorithmic harms as an economic issue, warning that platforms’ systems “deliberately polarise” users and have helped make Australia a global epicentre for online scams. Researchers say social-media feeds have become nearly indistinguishable from “scam delivery systems” for many users.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia’s under-16 ban has helped inspire similar measures overseas, with more than 20 countries taking comparable action to keep children off social media.
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The Senate inquiry into the enforcement changes concluded that the eSafety Commissioner needed stronger powers and that the maximum fine should exceed the current $49.5 million ceiling.
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Research cited in the parliamentary debate put precise figures on the ban’s limits: a British Medical Journal study found more than 85% of surveyed under-16s were still using social media three months after implementation, while a Molly Rose survey found 61% of 12-to-15-year-olds who had accounts before the ban could still access at least one account.
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Labor minister Anne Aly accused the Coalition and Greens of delaying the enforcement bill through an eight-week inquiry, saying the four-page measure had been awaiting passage for more than two months and that parents needed the reforms sooner.
Australia's Labor government is pushing new rules to control social media feeds and protect children online. The European reports the plan would let users turn off algorithms that personalize what they see, while strengthening penalties for platforms that break the law. The government also wants to expand the under-16 social media ban, which launched earlier this year but has struggled to keep kids offline.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the ban has already removed or restricted over five million accounts and inspired similar laws in more than 20 countries. But research shows the ban has major gaps — Perth Now notes that most teenagers found ways around age checks within months of the rules taking effect, leaving many still able to access their accounts.
Why Australia Is Targeting Algorithm Control
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has called algorithmic feeds an economic and social crisis. Dexerto explains that the new law would require platforms to let users opt out of personalized recommendations. Chalmers warned that algorithms "deliberately polarize" users and have made Australia a global hub for online scams, with feeds functioning almost like "scam delivery systems."
The government framed these changes as urgent. Labor argues that current safeguards are too weak and that platforms must do more to assess risks before content reaches users, especially children. Officials say the reforms will address toxic content, polarization, and fraud that flourish in algorithm-driven feeds.
The Under-16 Ban's Real-World Failure
Australia launched its under-16 social media ban earlier this year with high hopes. But independent research quickly exposed its weakness. A British Medical Journal study found that 85% of surveyed teens under 16 were still using social media three months after the ban started. A separate Molly Rose survey found 61% of 12-to-15-year-olds could still access at least one account.
Age-verification systems proved easy to bypass. Perth Now reports that the government now wants to strengthen the eSafety Commissioner's powers to enforce the rules more aggressively. Proposed changes would raise the maximum fine beyond the current $49.5 million ceiling to punish platforms that fail to stop underage users.
Opposition Delays and Implementation Concerns
Labor minister Anne Aly accused the Coalition and Greens of stalling the enforcement bill through an eight-week Senate inquiry. The four-page measure had been waiting for passage for over two months, she said. Aly argued that parents needed the reforms faster and that delaying tactics were putting children at risk.
Opposition lawmakers raised different concerns. Some worry the new rules lack detail and could lead to censorship or poor implementation. Others argue Labor should first fix flaws in the existing ban before expanding regulation. Critics on both sides — from the Coalition to the Greens — questioned whether the government had a workable plan to enforce these new measures.
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