Australia’s groundbreaking social media ban for children under 16 will now apply to messaging platform Reddit and live-streaming service Kick, the country’s online safety regulator has confirmed.
On Wednesday, Communications Minister Anika Wells announced that the two platforms would join major services like Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X, Facebook, and Instagram—including its offshoot, Threads—as "age-restricted" starting December 10. These platforms have now been officially designated under the new regulations, which target services where “social interaction” is a key function.
The eSafety Commission determined that Reddit and Kick, in addition to the previously listed platforms, meet the criteria for the ban due to their primary focus on enabling online interaction. Threads, which requires an Instagram account for access, is the ninth platform affected.
Minister Wells stated that she had met with representatives from major platforms in recent weeks to ensure there would be “no excuse for failure” in enforcing the ban.
"eSafety has already assessed eight platforms for age restrictions, but these evaluations will continue as the landscape evolves,” she said. “We’re not aiming for perfection—we’re aiming for meaningful change.”
Kick, an Australian competitor to Twitch, has an average viewership of around 258,000, while Reddit is the seventh-most visited website globally. Both platforms were notified by eSafety in recent months about their potential inclusion in the ban and were invited to submit feedback before the final decision was made.
Starting December 10, platforms failing to take reasonable steps to prevent users under 16 from creating accounts could face penalties of up to $49.5 million.
While several tech giants have raised concerns about the short notice of the new regulations, companies like TikTok, Meta, and Snap have confirmed they will begin enforcing age restrictions when the law takes effect. Snap’s global policy senior vice-president, Jennifer Stout, acknowledged Australia's role as a "first mover" in the social media regulation space. "We’re doing the best we can to comply," she said.
Snapchat is working on a tool allowing underage users to download and archive their data before their accounts are locked, while TikTok is exploring options to temporarily deactivate accounts for younger users. Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, is considering similar measures.
Minister Wells reiterated that while social media has a place in Australia, platforms must protect young users from "predatory algorithms, harmful content, and toxic popularity metrics that manipulate children."
"Online platforms have a chilling ability to control children’s experiences," she said. "We are mandating they use their sophisticated technology to protect them."
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant emphasized that delaying children's access to social media will give them "valuable time to grow without being influenced by the powerful, unseen forces of algorithms and endless scroll."
Parents are encouraged to visit the eSafety website for resources on the ban, including a live webinar where they can ask questions of the regulator.
Exempt platforms under the new law include messaging, email, voice or video calling services, online gaming, and educational or professional development platforms. This means that apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Roblox are not affected by the new rules.
Inman-Grant also confirmed that eSafety is in discussions with platforms such as Roblox to introduce additional safeguards, like preventing adult users from contacting minors without parental consent. “We are using every tool at our disposal to ensure these platforms remain safe,” she said.
The eSafety Commission is also monitoring emerging platforms like Yubo and Bluesky that may see an influx of younger users attempting to bypass the ban. “This is a dynamic list, and we will continue to adapt as new platforms emerge," Inman-Grant added.
Source: ABC News
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
