Australia is rolling out a landmark regulation which prohibits users aged 16 or younger from creating accounts on certain social media platforms. The law is part of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, amending the Online Safety Act 2021.
Key Details & Timeline
- The ban is set to take effect from 10 December 2025.
- Platforms must take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-16s from signing up or using existing accounts.
- Failure to comply may lead to heavy fines (up to AUD 49.5 million) for companies.
Twitch’s Inclusion
The live-streaming platform Twitch is the latest to be added to the list of restricted services under this ban.
According to the regulator, Twitch is considered an “age-restricted social media platform” because of its interactive live-streaming and user interaction components—not just passive game streaming.
- Starting December 10, 2025, Australians under 16 will not be able to create new Twitch accounts.
- Existing under-16 accounts on Twitch will be deactivated (some reports suggest early January 2026 for full deactivation window) unless re-verified when the user turns 16.
Why This Move?
The Australian government and the independent regulator eSafety Commissioner argue that many social media and interactive platforms pose risks for younger users—ranging from exposure to harmful content, excessive screen time, privacy issues, to mental-health concern
Introducing a minimum age of 16 for major interactive social platforms is seen as a preventative measure to protect children from these risks.
Platforms Covered & Exceptions
Platforms explicitly named include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, Reddit, and now Twitch.
Some services are exempted or treated differently — for example, educational- or narrowly-targeted platforms like YouTube Kids or job-networking platforms.
What It Means for Users in Australia
For users under 16:
- They will no longer be able to create new accounts on affected platforms after December 10.
- Existing accounts may be deactivated or frozen unless they undergo verification or wait till the account holder turns 16.
- Options like archiving data may be offered by companies ahead of deactivation.
For parents and guardians:
- They may need to monitor which platforms their children can access and when.
- Some companies might introduce “child-safe” or parent-supervised mode as alternatives (though the law mandates exclusion of minors entirely from certain sites).
For platforms & companies:
- They must implement age-verification and account-management systems deemed “reasonable” by the regulator.
- They will face regulatory scrutiny and potential large fines.
- Decisions on how to verify age (ID, face recognition, parent consent, etc.) remain technical and challenging.
Criticisms & Challenges
- Critics argue the law may push younger users to less-regulated corners of the internet, rather than safer platforms.
- Age-verification technology has error rates and privacy risks; false exclusions are possible.
- Some platforms are already indicating potential legal challenges (for example, YouTube hinted at contesting aspects of the law).
Why Twitch Specifically Matters
Twitch’s inclusion is significant because:
- It highlights that live-streaming + chat features are being treated similarly to “classic social media”.
- Younger gamers and streaming audiences in Australia will be directly affected.
- The move signals that platforms beyond “pure social networks” are under scrutiny.
Global Implications
Australia is the first country to implement a broad ban of this kind for under-16s across major platforms. The policy may influence other countries considering online safety, age-verification and minors’ access to social media.
Summary
Australia’s “social media ban under-16” marks a bold step: from December 10, 2025, major platforms — including Twitch — will not allow under-16s to hold accounts unless verified or wait until age 16. The objective is to shield younger users from online harm, but the rollout faces technical, privacy and usage-shift challenges. For Twitch audiences, especially younger Australians, this means major change is imminent.
