(REUTERS) Australia is considering tougher enforcement of its world-first social media ban for children.
The ban, which took effect six months ago, stops platforms like Instagram and YouTube from allowing under-16s to have accounts.
However, a new study found it has had little impact.
When the ban started in December, millions of accounts were reportedly closed.
But parents and studies say teenage use has barely changed.
A paper published in the British Medical Journal this week said 85% of Australians aged 12 to 15 were still using social media three months after the ban.
The study of 408 adolescents showed that many simply lied about their age.
On Friday, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese explained why the government will review the law:
"What we want to do is to make sure that the laws are as strong as possible and that they will withstand any legal challenges which are made. These are not uncontroversial. When I say that though, they're not controversial amongst the Australian public and amongst parents because they know that this is a world-leading ban."
He added that the focus is on giving the eSafety Commission enough power to enforce the rules.
Albanese did not give further details about the steps the government would take.
Australia's eSafety Commission is preparing legal action against platforms that fail to enforce the ban, with fines of around $34 million.
Posted by: AAngeles/NET25 News
