[Photo Credit: Reuters]

Australia introduced ​new legislation in parliament on Monday to strengthen enforcement of its under-16 social media ban and ‌give its internet regulator more power to pursue tech giants in court for non-compliance.

The move comes as evidence suggests children are still able to access the platforms six months after the world-first restrictions took effect in December.

Australia’s implementation and enforcement of the ban is being ​closely watched by dozens of countries who have either created or committed to creating their own such laws.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said there were still ⁠too many children on social media and tech firms were not doing enough to comply with the ban.

The internet regulator, eSafety, is investigating possible non-compliance by ​five platforms: Meta’s (META.O), opens new tab Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat (SNAP.N), opens new tab, TikTok and Google’s (GOOGL.O), opens new tab YouTube.

There was no immediate comment from Meta, Google and ​Snapchat. TikTok declined to comment.
Albanese called on the Coalition opposition to back the bill, noting the original policy passed with bipartisan ‌support.

The changes, announced ⁠on Saturday, would double maximum penalties to A$99 million ($68.2 million) from A$49.5 million.

They also give the eSafety Commissioner power to compel documents such as company board minutes and internal emails, ensuring legal cases being built against platforms failing to comply are as “strong as possible”, said Communications Minister Anika Wells.

Introducing the bill to ​parliament, Wells accused the firms ​of deliberately failing to ⁠comply and using “dirty tricks” to undermine the ban.

Sydney resident Bill Wright said he was glad the government was taking more action to hold social media companies accountable.