Australia has added Reddit and livestreaming platform Kick to the list of social media networks that must ban users under 16 from holding accounts, Communications Minister Anika Wells announced Wednesday.
The two platforms join Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube in facing the world’s first legal requirement to block children below 16 starting December 10. Companies that fail to take “reasonable steps” to comply could face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million).
“We’ve made it clear to the platforms that there’s no excuse for failing to enforce this law,” Wells told reporters in Canberra. “Online platforms use technology to target children with chilling precision. We’re simply asking them to use that same technology to keep children safe.”
Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who will oversee enforcement, said the list of restricted platforms would evolve as new technologies emerge. The nine platforms currently covered meet the government’s definition of services whose “sole or significant purpose” is enabling online social interaction.
Inman Grant said her office would work with researchers to assess how the ban affects children’s behavior — including sleep patterns, physical activity and social interaction — and monitor any unintended consequences.
Australia’s move has drawn global attention. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a U.N. forum in New York in September that she was “inspired” by Australia’s “common-sense” approach.
However, critics argue the law could undermine user privacy by requiring all users to verify their age. Over 140 Australian and international experts last year urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to drop the proposal, calling it “too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively.”
