Senator Varun Ghosh recommends passing new laws to strengthen Australia's world-first under-16 social media ban.
Senator Varun Ghosh, chair of the investigating committee, has recommended that the Australian Parliament pass new legislation to bolster the country's world-first under-16 social media ban. The proposed laws aim to strengthen the oversight of tech giants by increasing fines for non-compliance and expanding the powers of eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant. Communications Minister Anika Wells introduced these amendments to address concerns that major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are using 'dirty tricks' to circumvent the existing rules. While the committee generally welcomed the increased penalties, the report acknowledged differing views regarding the policy's effectiveness. Senator Fatima Payman and the Greens party offered dissenting views, suggesting that the bill should not be passed without more focus on algorithm regulation and data collection limits. Conversely, Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson expressed disappointment that the bill was recommended for passage without amendment, noting that the administration's approach lacked transparency. The committee clarified that the bill's purpose is to provide regulatory tools for enforcement rather than to re-evaluating the underlying policy.