Australia Extends Social Media Ban for Under-16s
Australia has added Reddit and livestreaming platform Kick to its expanding list of social media sites that must block users younger than 16. This move strengthens a groundbreaking law set to take effect next month.
The two platforms join Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, Snapchat, Threads, and YouTube under a regulation that places a “world-first legal obligation” on companies to stop minors from creating or maintaining accounts, according to Communications Minister Anika Wells.
“We have met with several of the social media platforms in the past month so that they understand there is no excuse for failure to implement this law,” said Anika Wells in Canberra.
Companies that do not comply face potential fines of up to A$50 million (around $33 million). Wells emphasized that digital platforms use sophisticated technology to influence children and should instead apply it to protect them online.
“Online platforms use technology to target children with chilling control. We are merely asking that they use that same technology to keep children safe online,” Wells noted.
The country’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, will oversee enforcement of the new rules and indicated that the list of restricted platforms will adjust as new technologies emerge.
“We’ll also look for unintended consequences and we’ll be gathering evidence so that others could learn from Australia’s achievements,” Grant said, referring to ongoing studies on how the ban might influence children’s sleep, social behavior, and physical health.
The initiative has attracted significant global interest as Australia positions itself as a leader in online child safety regulation.
Author’s Summary
Australia added Reddit and Kick to a law banning social media use for under-16s, imposing strict safeguards and major fines to enhance youth online safety.