Australia will double the financial penalty on platforms flouting its world-leading social media ban for under-16s to stem widespread evasion of the restrictions, the government said on Saturday. New legislation will lift the maximum fine to Aus$99 million ($68 million) for systemic breaches of the regulation and arm the eSafety online watchdog with greater powers to curb the platforms, it said. The independent regulator was “actively investigating” potential non-compliance by Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube, the government said in a statement.