Key Points
- Australia has added Reddit and Kick to its list of social media platforms banned for users under 16.
- The new law, effective December 10, will impose fines of up to A$49.5 million for non-compliance.
- Major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are already on the list.
- Services like Discord, Roblox, and WhatsApp are currently not included in the ban.
Australia’s internet watchdog, the eSafety Commissioner, announced on Wednesday that it is expanding its world-first ban on social media for teens to include Reddit and the live-streaming video platform Kick. The regulator also warned that more sites could be added if their main purpose is to enable online social interaction.
Starting December 10, Australia will become the first country to fine social media companies up to A$49.5 million ($32 million) if they fail to take reasonable steps to block users under 16.
The eSafety Commissioner urged tech companies to regularly check whether they meet the definition of an “age-restricted social media platform,” especially when they add new features or when the main way their service is used changes over time.
For now, several popular platforms do not meet the criteria for an age-restricted social media platform. These include Discord, GitHub, LEGO Play, Roblox, Steam and Steam Chat, Google Classroom, Messenger, WhatsApp, and YouTube Kids.
The platforms that are already on the list include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube.
The eSafety Commissioner explained that there won’t be a fixed, unchanging list of banned companies because technology changes so quickly. When new platforms are created or existing ones change how they are used, eSafety may re-evaluate them.
“We will continue to take a whole ecosystem approach, but we want to reinforce that just because a service is excluded, it does not mean it is absolutely safe,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in a statement. This means that even if a platform isn’t on the list, it doesn’t automatically receive a stamp of approval as completely safe for young users. The focus is on platforms where social interaction is the primary function.
