Australia’s eSafety regulator has added Twitch to a list of platforms banned for children aged 16 and under under a new national law, which carries fines up to $32 million for non-compliant companies. Twitch will deactivate under-16 accounts from 9 January, while Meta plans to block Instagram and Facebook accounts for under-16 Australians from 4 December. The government says delaying access until 16 will help build digital literacy and resilience, but practical enforcement and age-verification methods remain unresolved.
Australia Adds Twitch to Under-16 Social Media Ban — Platforms Face Up to $32M Fines
Australia’s eSafety regulator has added Twitch to a list of platforms banned for children aged 16 and under under a new national law, which carries fines up to $32 million for non-compliant companies. Twitch will deactivate under-16 accounts from 9 January, while Meta plans to block Instagram and Facebook accounts for under-16 Australians from 4 December. The government says delaying access until 16 will help build digital literacy and resilience, but practical enforcement and age-verification methods remain unresolved.
02:06 PM, 11/21/2025Society
Australia’s internet safety regulator has confirmed that Amazon-owned livestreaming service Twitch has been added to the list of platforms barred for children aged 16 and under under a new national law.
The eSafety Commissioner said Twitch meets the definition of a social media service because its interactive livestreaming lets users — including minors — communicate with others “in relation to content posted.” The law imposes fines of up to $32 million (A$49.5 million) on companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-16s from using designated services.
Platforms already named on the prohibited list include Meta’s Facebook, Instagram and Threads, X, TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat. The regulator said Twitch, best known for gaming livestreams and real-time chat between streamers and viewers, also falls within the scope of the new rules.
Twitch has announced it will deactivate accounts for users aged 16 and under starting 9 January and will block new registrations by underage users once the ban takes effect.
Not all services are covered. The eSafety office said Pinterest is excluded because its primary purpose is not social interaction, and the government published a wider list of services not covered by the new rules as of 21 November that includes Discord, GitHub, Google Classroom, Lego Play, Messenger, Roblox, Steam and Steam Chat, WhatsApp and YouTube Kids.
Australian officials describe the scheme as the most comprehensive attempt by any government to restrict minors’ access to mainstream social media. The government says delaying access until 16 will give young people more time to develop digital literacy, critical thinking, impulse control and resilience.
“Delaying account access until 16 will give young people more time to develop important skills and maturity,” the government said, calling the policy “breathing space” to build digital literacy and resilience.
Meta has said it will start blocking Instagram and Facebook accounts for Australian users under 16 from 4 December, prompting some teens to receive notifications advising them to download or save their data before access is removed. Meta regional policy director Mia Garlick said the company intends to preserve users’ content so it is available unchanged if they return when they turn 16.
How platforms will reliably verify age remains unclear. Possible methods include government-issued ID checks or Australian government-accredited digital ID services, but the watchdog emphasized that no one will be forced to provide government-issued ID and platforms must offer reasonable alternatives for verification.
“No Australian will be forced to provide a government-issued ID or use an Australian government-accredited digital ID service to prove their age,” the regulator said.
Experts say the policy could steer young people toward more offline activities. Dot Dumuid, a behavioural epidemiologist at the University of South Australia, said the move is intended to help young people rebalance their time and reconnect with activities that build skills, confidence and social connection.
As platforms and regulators prepare for implementation, parents, educators and industry groups will be watching how verification methods, compliance measures and appeals processes are designed and enforced.