Australia’s world-first social media age ban has expanded again, with the eSafety Commission formally designating Twitch as an age-restricted platform just 19 days before the new laws take effect.
The Amazon-owned live-streaming service, long popular among gamers, will now sit alongside Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit, Facebook, Threads and Kick under the federal government’s ban for under-16s that begins on December 10.
eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Twitch’s functionality placed it squarely within the scope of the legislation, despite gaming platforms being exempt when their “sole or primary” purpose is gameplay.
“Twitch is a platform most commonly used for live streaming or posting content that enables users, including Australian children, to interact with others in relation to the content posted,” the Commission said in a statement.
Self-assessment carried out by Twitch under the Commission’s age-restriction standards also contributed to the decision.
Platform response and compliance timeline
Twitch, founded in 2007 and acquired by Amazon for US$970 million in 2014, currently reports more than 105 million average monthly users globally, including an estimated 4.1 million Australians.
The platform confirmed that new accounts for anyone under 16 will be blocked from December 10, with existing under-16 accounts deactivated from January 9.
Twitch said it already requires users globally to be at least 13, with minors “required to be under the supervision of a parent or guardian.”
Pinterest escapes designation
In the same update, eSafety revealed Pinterest will not be captured by the laws.
The platform, used primarily for image-based inspiration boards, was deemed “more commonly used by individuals collating images for inspiration and idea curation,” falling outside the criteria applied to social media services.
eSafety confirmed no additional platforms will be added before the ban takes effect, noting that assessments have been carried out “in stages” across the sector.
For now, the industry’s focus is on implementation: verifying age, preventing new under-16 accounts, and shutting down existing ones – all under a regulatory spotlight sharpening as December 10 approaches.