Australia Expands Social Media Ban for Minors, Adding Reddit to the List

Thu Nov 13 2025 13:58:24 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a landmark move, Australia has added Reddit to its social media ban for children under 16, joining other major platforms. The government aims to protect minors from online risks.

Australia's social media ban for users under 16 now includes Reddit and Kick, targeting nine platforms in total. The government imposes penalties on tech companies failing to deactivate underage accounts. While many support the ban, concerns exist regarding its implications for mental health and data privacy.

Popular forum site Reddit has been added to Australia's world-first social media ban for children under 16 that starts next month.

Live-streaming platform Kick will also be included, bringing the number of sites targeted in the ban to nine. They include Facebook, X, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.

From December 10, tech companies can be fined up to A$50 million ($32.5 million) if they do not take reasonable steps to deactivate existing accounts for under-16s and prohibit new ones.

Each banned platform was chosen because their sole or a significant purpose is to enable online social interaction, according to the government, with the possibility of more sites being added as technology evolves.

Delaying children's access to social media accounts gives them valuable time to learn and grow, free of the powerful, unseen forces of harmful and deceptive design features, stated Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

Messaging services like Discord and WhatsApp, along with gaming platforms Lego Play and Roblox, will not be targeted, nor will Google Classroom and YouTube Kids.

Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells emphasized that online platforms can target children with chilling control and the ban is meant to protect them. We aren't chasing perfection, we are chasing a meaningful difference, she added.

The methods for enforcing the ban remain uncertain and are being closely observed globally, with possibilities including ID verification and parental approval. Critics have voiced concerns about privacy and the reliability of age verification technologies.

Despite overall public support for the ban, some mental health advocates argue that it could isolate children and push them to less regulated areas of the internet. They suggest focusing on better regulation of harmful content instead.

Interestingly, an Australian influencer family with millions of followers announced plans to relocate to the UK to avoid the ban, allowing their 14-year-old daughter to continue creating content online.

Initially, YouTube was exempt from the ban; however, a July reversal found it was the most frequent platform where children encountered harmful content. Teens under 16 will still be able to watch YouTube but cannot have accounts for uploading or interacting with content.