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The Australian government has added popular streaming platform Look at the list of Apps Banned in the country for Children Under the age of 16 years.
The country’s internet monitoring organization said on Friday that upcoming teens social media The ban will apply to Twitch, the Amazon-owned live streaming service popular among gamers.
Australia World’s first law to ban over-age children is being prepared 16 years and under from using social mediaThere are penalties of up to A$32m (A$49.5m) for non-compliant companies that fail to take “reasonable steps”.
List of banned apps includes platforms already included metaFacebook, Instagram and Threads, X, TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat.
Although Twitch is primarily used by gamers for livestreaming, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner said Friday the streaming platform also qualifies as a social media service because its interactive content allows users, including children, to communicate with others “in relation to the posted content.”
Twitch, which gamers primarily use to chat with viewers while playing video games, said it plans to deactivate all user accounts of people ages 16 and under starting Jan. 9.
The company said it will also prevent new underage users from creating accounts after the ban takes effect.
However, the watchdog said the list of banned apps for teens does not include image-sharing platform Pinterest.
The government said the platforms that have been excluded from the new rules “until November 21, 2025” include Discord, GitHub, Google Classroom, Lego Play, Messenger, Pinterest, Roblox, Steam and Steam Chat, WhatsApp and YouTube Kids.
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Pinterest was not included in the ban because its core purpose is not about social interaction.
Australia’s tough rules are the most comprehensive effort by any government to curb minors’ access to social media.
The Australian Government said, “Although most platforms currently have a minimum age of 13 for account holders, delaying account access until 16 will allow young people more time to develop important skills and maturity.”
“This is breathing space to build digital literacy, critical reasoning, impulse control and greater resilience,” it said.
On Thursday, Meta announced it would begin blocking the Instagram and Facebook accounts of Australian users under the age of 16 from December 4, a week before the government’s new law takes effect.
Australian teenagers have started receiving notifications on these apps to save their data before access to their accounts is revoked.
“For all of our users ages 15 and under, we understand the importance of the treasured memories, connections, and content in your accounts,” Mia Garlick, Meta’s regional policy director, said in a statement.
“When you turn 16 and can access our apps again, all your content will be available exactly as you left it,” Ms Garlick said.
However, it is unclear how the companies will enforce the ban.
Some possibilities include providing users with a government-issued ID or a digital ID recognized by the Australian government to prove their age.
“No Australian will be forced to provide a government-issued ID or use a digital ID service recognized by the Australian Government to prove their age,” the internet watchdog said.
“Age-restricted social media platforms must provide users with reasonable alternatives,” it says.
Experts hope the ban may motivate young people to interact more in the real world.
“If we want to support young people’s well-being, we need to help them balance their time – encouraging them to re-engage with real-world activities that build skills, confidence and social connections,” said Dot Dumuid, a behavioral epidemiologist at the University of South Australia.