Australia’s Landmark Teen Social Media Ban: Twitch In, Pinterest Out
Australia will become the first country globally to ban social media for users aged 16 and under starting December 10, with massive penalties for non-compliant companies.
Key Takeaways
- Twitch added to ban list; Pinterest exempted
- Penalties up to A$49.5 million for violations
- Meta starting account deactivations from December 4
- Ban enforcement begins December 10
The eSafety Commissioner confirmed Twitch qualifies as social media due to its livestreaming and interactive features that enable communication among users, including children.
Twitch will deactivate all accounts of users aged 16 and under from January 9 and block new under-age registrations once the ban takes effect.
Pinterest avoided inclusion because the commissioner determined social interaction isn’t its primary purpose, noting it’s mainly used for collecting images and curating ideas.
Expanding Coverage
The ban list recently expanded to include Reddit and live streaming platform Kick. Major platforms already covered include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and YouTube.
No further platform assessments will occur before the December 10 implementation date.
Meta’s Early Action
Meta announced it will begin deactivating Instagram and Facebook accounts of Australian users under 16 from December 4 – a week ahead of the legal requirement.
The company had previously indicated it would only remove access when the law took effect on December 10.
With the ban approaching, Australian teenagers are receiving notifications on Instagram and Facebook prompting them to save their data before account access is revoked.
