Australia is adding Twitch to its social media ban for children

The breadth and reach of Australia's pioneering social media ban grows as livestream platform Twitch has now been added to the list of banned platforms for users under 16 years of age. The nationwide ban is the first of its kind and encompasses Facebook, X, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube and recently Reddit.

According to the BBC, Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Twitch had been included because it was "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 other platforms are expected to be added before the law goes into effect next month. Grant also said on Friday that Pinterest would not be included in the ban because the core purpose of the platform was not online social interaction.

Under the ban, platforms are expected to ...