The reach and scope of Australia’s historic social media ban is growing as live streaming platform Twitch has been added to the list of platforms banned for users under 16. The nationwide ban is the first of its kind and includes Facebook, X, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and most recently Reddit.
According to BBCAustralian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Twitch was included because it is “a platform most commonly used for live streaming or publishing content that allows users, including Australian children, to interact with others in relation to posted content.”
It is expected that no additional platforms will be added until the law takes effect next month. Grant also said Friday that Pinterest would not be affected by the ban because the platform’s primary purpose is not online social interaction.
Under the ban, platforms would have to take “reasonable steps” to prevent underage users from accessing their platforms and would have to pay hefty fees if they don’t comply. While VPNs may be an alternative solution in some cases, the law still poses a huge barrier to entry for users under 16.
Earlier this month, Denmark said its lawmakers had reached a bipartisan agreement to impose a similar ban on users under 15, although few details were known. In the United States, several states, including Texas and Florida, have tried to implement such a ban, but these measures failed or were upheld in court. Even laws that don’t go so far as to require parents in Utah to allow teenagers to open social media accounts face strong opposition on First Amendment grounds.
Concerns about children’s social networks continue to grow with the times The evidence is piling up about the potential negative impact of these platforms on younger users.