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Australia widens teen social media ban to include Reddit and Kick
The move comes amid growing global scrutiny of social media’s impact on children and teenagers, with Australia positioning itself at the forefront of legislative efforts to hold tech firms accountable for youth safety online.
The move comes amid growing global scrutiny of social media’s impact on children and teenagers, with Australia positioning itself at the forefront of legislative efforts to hold tech firms accountable for youth safety online.
Australia’s internet regulator has expanded its world-first teen social media ban to include Reddit and live video streaming platform Kick, as part of a wider crackdown on platforms that enable online social interaction for users under 16.
The eSafety Commissioner announced on Wednesday that the new law, which comes into effect on 10 December, will make Australia the first country to impose fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$32 million) on social media companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” to block access to underage users.
The regulator said that other platforms could also be added to the list if their primary purpose is found to facilitate social interaction, urging tech firms to continuously assess whether they meet the criteria of an “age-restricted social media platform” as their features evolve or their usage patterns shift.
So far, the expanded list includes Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, with Reddit and Kick now joining their ranks. In contrast, the regulator clarified that Discord, GitHub, LEGO Play, Roblox, Steam and Steam Chat, Google Classroom, Messenger, WhatsApp, and YouTube Kids do not currently meet the definition of an age-restricted platform.
The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said the approach would remain dynamic to account for the rapid evolution of digital technologies. She explained that the regulator will continue to assess emerging services and may revisit existing classifications if a platform’s function changes substantially.
Grant added that while some services are excluded from the current restrictions, this does not automatically make them safe for young users, underscoring the need for a “whole-of-ecosystem” approach to online child protection.
The move comes amid growing global scrutiny of social media’s impact on children and teenagers, with Australia positioning itself at the forefront of legislative efforts to hold tech firms accountable for youth safety online.
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