Australia will include Twitch in its upcoming ban on social media use by people aged 16 and under, Reuters reported Nov. 21, citing the country’s online safety regulator. Pinterest will not be added to the list.
The rules take effect on December 10 and will make Australia the first country to prohibit under-16s from using social media services. Companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” to comply could face penalties of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars.
The eSafety Commissioner said Twitch qualifies as a social media service because it is used mainly for livestreaming and posting interactive content that enables users, including minors, to communicate with others. Twitch plans to deactivate all user accounts belonging to people aged 16 and under from January 9 and will prevent new underage users from signing up once the ban begins.
Pinterest was not added to the list. The Commissioner said that although the platform allows some social interaction, its primary function is collecting images and curating ideas.
Earlier this month, the regulator expanded the ban to include Reddit and the video livestreaming platform Kick. Major services already covered include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube.
No further assessments are expected before the rules come into force on December 10, the Commissioner said.
