Australia delays debate on tougher child social media ban rules

The Australian Senate has delayed voting on proposed changes to strengthen the country's child social media ban, prompting criticism from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The amendments would give the country's eSafety Commissioner greater powers to demand internal documents and evidence from technology companies to ensure they are complying with the law that restricts social media access for children under the age of 16.

The delay came after opposition parties and the Greens referred the proposed amendments to an eight-week Senate inquiry for further review.

Prime Minister Albanese argued that postponing the legislation could allow technology companies to destroy important evidence related to their compliance with the law. The government has also proposed increasing the maximum penalty for companies that fail to follow the rules from A$49.5 million to A$99 million.

Australia became the first country to introduce a nationwide social media age restriction for users under 16, with the law taking effect in December 2025. While millions of underage accounts have been removed, authorities say many children still manage to access social media platforms, leading the government to push for stronger enforcement measures.