Media Ban

Doubled penalties will have little effect if platforms not held to account for the content they carry, observers sayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe government needs to switch into “enforcement mode” and take on tech giants over its social media ban after doubling fines, experts have warned.The federal government announced on Sunday it would introduce new legislation to double fines to $99m for platforms that breach the social media ban, and give the eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, stronger information-gathering powers. Continue reading...

Prime minister Anthony Albanese says too many children still on platforms but he is ‘heartened’ by world-leading lawSocial media bans go global: big tech faces a reckoning after Australia’s crackdownGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe federal government will double the penalty for breaches of Australia’s youth social media ban to $99m, arguing tech companies are “not doing enough” to keep children off harmful social media sites.And the eSafety commissioner, now investigating potential breaches of the law by Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, will have its information-gathering powers strengthened under proposed further reforms. Continue reading...

As a host of countries move to rein in social media use by children, could this be technology’s big tobacco moment? Continue reading...

Pupils say LPS Hybrid’s combination of remote and in-person classes has transformed their school experienceTwo years ago, Ellie Ball could barely bring herself to attend school. Today, the 16-year-old is planning to take four A-levels and hopes to study astrolaw – “It’s basically space law,” she explains – at university.The transformation happened largely through a screen. Continue reading...

Experts say law not enough to stop children accessing harmful content online and more ‘convincing strategy is required’More than 80% of under-16s in Australia said they were still using social media three months after legislation banning them from it came into force, research shows.Australia is the first country to ban social media for children. Since December 2025, under-16s have been prohibited from having accounts with many social media platforms including TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat. Continue reading...

• The Rockie Awards were presented on Tuesday night as part of the Banff World Media Festival 2026. • The competition features a high-stakes showdown where U.S. television shows compete directly against international series for top honors. • These awards are significant as they highlight global excellence in television production and content creation across different markets.

Governments around the world want to keep under-16s off YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Australia has introduced a ban and now the UK is doing the same. Stephen Byrne and Chris Stokel-Walker reportKeir Starmer announced on Monday that he wanted to ban under-16s from social media. Parents were calling out for more controls he said. But their children … well, their children have other ideas.“Snapchat, for example, is one of the best things that’s happened to me,” a 13-year-old tells Helen Pidd. “I don’t think adults understand, that is how we talk to our friends and fit in.” Continue reading...

Activists say blanket ban could prevent teenagers from finding peers and role models with similar conditionsDisability activists have said banning under-16s from social media risks cutting off a “lifeline for friendship” for disabled children and could push them into social isolation by preventing them from making connections online.Charities and high-profile figures in disability advocacy said they were concerned that a blanket ban on social media would disproportionately affect teenagers who may not be able to meet people easily in real life or find peers with similar conditions. Continue reading...