Australia’s internet regulator said on Friday that it would require Twitch, a video livestreaming service, to comply with a coming ban on social media users under 16 years old.
The ban will take effect on Dec. 10, about a year after Parliament passed one of the world’s most comprehensive measures to protect children and teenagers from potential harm on the internet, such as online bullying and risks to mental health.
In a statement on Friday, the eSafety commissioner said Twitch had assessed that it met the criteria for the social media ban because online interaction was its core feature. Pinterest, the virtual photo board, was not added to the ban because it did not meet the threshold for interaction, the commissioner said.
In April, the eSafety commissioner named Meta’s Facebook, Threads and Instagram services, as well as Snapchat, TikTok, X, YouTube (owned by Google), Kick and Reddit as age-restricted platforms. The list may change, with platforms added or removed as technology changes, the commissioner said in a statement.
On Friday, the commissioner said the office was not planning any further assessments in the three weeks before the ban takes effect.
The law places responsibility for age restrictions on social media companies, which could be fined up to $32 million for failing to purge underage users. Neither young people nor their parents will be penalized for violations, and it was unclear how children would be prevented from finding ways around the restrictions.
Twitch is one of the most popular platforms for gamers, who earn money from streaming their gaming sessions to millions of people around the world. Viewers can also watch cooking videos and political commentary. The service is owned by Amazon.
Twitch did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Francesca Regalado is a Times reporter covering breaking news.
The post Australia Adds Twitch to Social Media Ban for Teens appeared first on New York Times.
