Australia to enforce social media age limit of 16 with fines of up to £24M

Australia’s communications minister Anika Wells speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)

Social media platforms must report monthly how many children’s accounts they close once Australia begins enforcing its 16-year age limit next week, a minister said.

Facebook, Instagram, Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube would face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars (£24.8 million) from December 10 if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove accounts of Australian children younger than 16.