Twitch Joins Australia's Teen Social Media Ban Starting December

Sun Nov 30 2025 21:24:50 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Australia includes Twitch in its upcoming ban on social media access for individuals under 16, alongside other platforms like Facebook and TikTok.

Australia has announced that Twitch will be included in its under-16 social media ban effective December 10, 2025. This measure prohibits those under 16 from opening new accounts and will deactivate existing ones by January 9, 2026. The eSafety Commissioner stated that Twitch's primary purpose of online social interaction warranted its inclusion in the ban aimed at protecting children from harmful content 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, TikTok 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 said Twitch - owned by Amazon - has been included as its main purpose was online social interaction where users were encouraged to chat to each other about posted content.

A Twitch spokesperson stated that Australians under 16 will not be able to open an account from December 10, and from January 9, existing under-16 accounts will be deactivated.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant commented on Twitch's inclusion, stating it is a platform most commonly used for livestreaming or posting content that enables users, including Australian children, to interact with others in relation to the content posted.

No more platforms are expected to be added to the ban before the start date next month, Ms Inman Grant said.

The government has stated that the ban is aimed at reducing the pressures and risks children can be exposed to on social media, including harmful content.

Founded in 2007, Twitch allows users to livestream content, primarily gaming, and has made significant changes recently to improve revenue sharing for creators.

Twitch's policies already prohibit anyone under 13 from using its platform, and those aged between 13 and the legal age of adulthood can join with parental consent.

The ban will apply to various other platforms too, requiring tech companies to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from accessing their services. Failure to comply could result in fines up to $49.5 million (around US$32 million).

Recently, Meta announced it would close accounts of users under 16 in advance of the official ban starting, highlighting the growing trend toward stricter age regulations in social media.

Ms Inman Grant noted that Pinterest will not be included in the ban as it is not considered a platform primarily for social interaction, but more for individual image curation.