Just weeks before Australia’s nationwide ban on social media use for children under 16 begins, the country’s online safety regulator, eSafety, has added Twitch to the list of restricted platforms. Pinterest, however, has been excluded under the social media Minimum Age (SMMA) rules.
A Twitch spokesperson said that Australians under 16 will no longer be allowed to create accounts from December 10. Existing accounts belonging to users under 16 will be deactivated on January 9. Globally, Twitch allows users aged 13 and older but requires parental involvement for minors.
Australia categorized Twitch as an “age-restricted social media platform” because it focuses on social interaction and live-streaming. Pinterest, in contrast, was exempted because it is primarily used for collecting images, ideas, and inspiration rather than social engagement.
Starting December 10, Australia’s social media ban for minors will apply to major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, YouTube (excluding YouTube Kids and Google Classroom), Reddit, and local streamer Kick. These services must block access for users under 16.
The law underpinning the ban was passed last year, though companies like Meta and Google urged the government to delay enforcement until after the completion of Australia’s age-verification trials.
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To help platforms determine whether they fall under SMMA rules, the regulator offers a self-assessment tool.
Other countries are adopting similar measures. Twenty-four U.S. states have introduced age-verification laws as of August 2025, with Utah becoming the first to require app stores to verify user ages and secure parental consent for minors. In the U.K., the Online Safety Act, implemented in July, mandates that platforms block children’s access to harmful content and enforce strong age checks for high-risk material such as self-harm and eating-disorder content.
