Government Doubles Fines to Crack Down on Kids’ Social Media

The government is cracking down hard on social media giants with new rules: fines for non-compliance could hit $99 million, and the eSafety commissioner is getting serious new powers. Over 5 million underage accounts have been removed since the ban kicked in, but kids are still finding ways around it. Experts say tougher penalties are a start, but real change needs stronger enforcement and digital duty of care laws — especially targeting harmful algorithms. While some see the fines as an admission of failure, others argue it’s about protecting teens from mental health risks. The Greens push for algorithm regulation as the real fix, not just punishment. With tech companies still dodging accountability, this could be the moment they finally take kids’ safety seriously — or face even steeper consequences. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/06a179477042f74b