Australia is set to become the first nation in the world to implement a sweeping ban on social media for teenagers, and the list of affected platforms has seen a significant update. The country's eSafety Commissioner has confirmed that the live streaming service Twitch will be included in the prohibition, while the image-sharing platform Pinterest has been granted an exemption.
The Platforms on the List
In an announcement made on Friday, 21st November 2025, the eSafety Commissioner provided clarity on which services fall under the new law. Twitch, owned by Amazon.com, qualifies as a social media service because its primary function is livestreaming and hosting interactive content that facilitates communication between users, including children.
Consequently, Twitch has announced its compliance strategy. The platform will bar new under-age users from creating accounts when the ban commences on 10th December. Furthermore, it will deactivate all existing user accounts for people aged 16 and under from 9th January.
In a contrasting decision, Pinterest will not be added to the list. The Commissioner ruled that while the platform allows for some social interaction, its main purpose is for collecting images and curating ideas, not as a core social networking service.
Expanding Scope and Impending Deadline
This latest classification follows an earlier expansion of the ban earlier in November, which added Reddit and the video live streaming platform Kick to the roster. They join major tech firms already covered by the legislation, including Meta Platforms' Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, and Alphabet-owned YouTube.
The Commissioner has confirmed that no further assessments will be conducted before the rules take effect on 10th December. Companies that fail to take 'reasonable steps' to prevent under-16s from using their services face severe penalties, with fines reaching up to A$49.5 million (approximately $32 million).
Tech Giants React as Countdown Begins
With the enforcement date looming, tech companies are initiating their compliance measures. This week, Meta announced it would begin deactivating the Instagram and Facebook accounts of its Australian users under the age of 16 from 4th December, a full week before the official start of the ban.
This proactive move represents a shift from its earlier position, where it indicated access would only be removed once the law was enacted on 10th December. As a result, Australian teenagers are now reportedly receiving notifications on Instagram and Facebook, alerting them to save their data before their accounts are permanently revoked.
