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2h ago

Australia Expands Target List for Under‑16 Social Media Ban as Regulator Seeks Self‑Assessments

Legal uncertainty over who can designate covered services could push early enforcement into the courts.

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Tech companies including WhatsApp and Reddit as well as streaming giant Twitch and gaming firm Roblox could be among more than a dozen sites added to Australia's social media ban for under-16s, the country's regulator said Wednesday
A person holding a mobile phone surrounded by icons from social media platforms

Overview

  • eSafety has asked 16 companies, including WhatsApp, Reddit, Discord, Roblox, Twitch, Steam, Pinterest, Lego Play, Kick, GitHub, HubApp and Match, to use its tool to assess whether they fall under the ban.
  • Platforms that believe they qualify for an exemption must submit evidence, with the regulator planning to publish its views on coverage before the December 10 start date.
  • Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says she may not have clear statutory power to decide which services are in scope, setting up potential Federal Court tests under the Online Safety Act.
  • The regulator will triage enforcement by focusing first on services with the largest under‑16 user bases and the greatest demonstrated harms.
  • The law enables fines of up to A$49.5 million for non‑compliance, companies have criticized the rules as vague and rushed, and the communications minister has said firms will need to self‑regulate even as an independent study found age checks can work without a single universal method.