Australia expands under-16 social media ban to include Reddit, Kick
Australia will block children under 16 from accessing nine major social media platforms starting December 10, adding Reddit and livestreaming platform Kick to its list of restricted services, officials announced on Wednesday.
The ban also applies to Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube, and is part of a sweeping online-safety law passed last year aimed at protecting children from harmful digital content and platform algorithms, News.Az reports, citing Al Jazeera.
“Online platforms use technology to target children with chilling control. We are asking they use that same technology to keep children safe,” Communications Minister Anika Wells said in Canberra.
Platforms have had 12 months to prepare, and failure to comply could bring fines up to 49.5 million AUD ($32 million).
The policy has drawn international attention, as other governments explore similar protections amid rising concerns about mental health risks and addictive design features in social apps.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said delaying social-media access would give children “valuable time to grow, free of powerful, unseen forces like opaque algorithms and endless scroll.”
Researchers will monitor whether the ban improves sleep, physical activity, and real-world social interaction among children.
However, critics — including 140 academics — argue the ban is a blunt instrument and question enforcement, since users cannot be forced to provide ID for age checks.
The move comes as French prosecutors open a criminal inquiry into TikTok over allegations its algorithm pushes minors toward self-harm content.
TikTok denies wrongdoing, calling itself a scapegoat for wider social issues.
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