Australia bans Twitch for under-16 users under new social media laws
Twitch will soon have to block Australians under 16 years old from using its platform, after the country’s new social media restrictions take effect next month.
From December 10, major platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok must remove under-16 users or risk multimillion-dollar penalties.
According to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Twitch qualifies for the ban because its livestreaming and real-time interaction features pose risks for younger users.
Other services, such as Pinterest, LegoPlay and WhatsApp, have been allowed to remain accessible for teenagers. Several additional platforms are still under review.
Twitch, which has more than 7 million livestream artists, said most of its audience is between 18 and 34. It did not disclose how many users are younger, though current rules already prohibit anyone under 13 from joining.
The legislation has faced heavy pushback from tech companies, which argue that enforcing strict age limits online is practically unworkable and that the policy has been rushed. Critics say without reliable age-verification technology, the ban may function more as a political statement than a meaningful barrier.
Even so, the move is being closely watched by governments exploring their own approaches.
New Zealand’s Prime Minister has pledged to pursue similar laws, and officials in the Netherlands have advised parents to keep children under 15 off apps like TikTok and Snapchat.
As it stands, Australia now holds one of the toughest positions on youth access to social media.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
