Australia Extends Teen Social Media Ban to Twitch

Fri Nov 21 2025 19:24:14 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As Australia ramps up its social media restrictions, Twitch becomes the latest platform to join the ban aimed at users under 16, effective December 10th.

Twitch has been added to Australia's social media ban for users under 16, effective December 10. This adds to previous restrictions affecting Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Snapchat. The Australian eSafety Commissioner cited concerns about online interactions and content engagement among youths. Existing accounts for under-16s will be deactivated starting January 9, 2026, as part of an effort to reduce risks children face on social media. The government has introduced this world-first ban to safeguard children from harmful interactions online.

Twitch, a streaming platform popular with gamers, has been added to Australia's teen social media ban which starts next month. It joins other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Snapchat that must ensure under-16s cannot open accounts and existing ones are closed from December 10.

Australia's internet regulator overseeing the ban stated that Twitch, owned by Amazon, has been included because its main purpose is online social interaction where users are encouraged to chat about posted content.

A Twitch spokesperson confirmed that Australians under 16 will not be able to open a Twitch account starting from December 10, and from January 9, 2026, existing accounts for under-16s will be deactivated.

In explaining the decision, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant stressed that Twitch is a platform widely utilized for livestreaming and content interaction among its users, including Australian children.

No further platforms are expected to be included in the ban before its start date next month, according to Ms. Inman Grant.

The government has indicated that the ban aims to reduce the pressures and risks of harmful content that children may encounter online.

Founded in 2007, Twitch has gained immense popularity as a livestreaming platform where users often play video games while engaging with viewers. Recently, it announced plans to share more revenue with creators, letting streamers benefit from subscriber support.

Additionally, Twitch's policy prohibits anyone under the age of 13 from using its platform, and users aged 13 to the legal age of adulthood can join with parental permission.

Twitch is now part of a broader under-16s social media ban that includes platforms like YouTube, Reddit, Kick, Threads, and X (formerly known as Twitter). Companies under this new regulation must take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from using their platforms, or face potential fines up to $49.5 million.

Earlier this week, Meta announced it would begin closing accounts for users under 16 on December 4, just a week before the official ban takes effect.

How companies will enforce this ban remains uncertain, with possibilities of using government IDs, facial recognition, or age inference techniques to verify users' ages.

Ms. Inman Grant clarified that Pinterest would not be included in the ban because its primary purpose is not focused on social interaction, but on idea curation and inspiration.