Twitch Added to Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban as Pinterest Secures Exemption

The Australian government has officially classified the live-streaming platform Twitch as a social media service subject to its upcoming ban on users under the age of 16. Concurrently, the visual discovery engine Pinterest has been granted an exemption from the legislation, following a review by the eSafety Commissioner. These classifications finalize the scope of the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024 ahead of its implementation phase.

Expansion of Restricted Platforms

On November 20, 2025, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner confirmed that Twitch falls under the definition of a social media service mandated to restrict access for minors. The decision was based on the platform's interactive features, specifically citing "end-to-end user interaction" capabilities such as live chat functions and the ability for users to follow one another. These elements were determined to meet the criteria for social interaction that the legislation aims to regulate.

This classification places Twitch alongside other major platforms already subject to the ban, including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, YouTube, Reddit, and Kick. Under the new law, these services must implement age-verification systems to prevent users under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts. The legislation stipulates severe penalties for non-compliance, with fines reaching up to AUD 49.5 million (approximately USD 32 million).

Rationale Behind Pinterest's Exemption

While Twitch was added to the restricted list, Pinterest successfully avoided inclusion. The eSafety Commissioner determined that Pinterest does not meet the threshold for a "social media service" as defined by the Act. The review concluded that the platform's primary function is content discovery rather than direct social interaction.

The decision rests on the assessment that Pinterest’s "pinboard" structure lacks the real-time, interactive social elements found on other networks. Because the platform is utilized more for visual planning and collecting ideas rather than user-to-user communication, it was deemed "non-social" in the context of the safety legislation. This exemption aligns with other allowances made for educational platforms, such as Google Classroom, and messaging applications used primarily for private communication, like WhatsApp.

Implementation Timeline and Enforcement

The legislative framework for the ban is moving rapidly toward enforcement. The Act is scheduled to come into effect on December 10, 2025. However, the government has established a 12-month implementation period to allow platforms to develop and integrate the necessary age-assurance technologies. Full enforcement of the ban, including the levy of fines for breaches, is set to begin in December 2026.

In the immediate term, platforms are already taking steps to comply. Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, began notifying Australian users believed to be under 16 on November 18, 2025. These notifications advised users to download their data before their accounts are frozen or shut down, a process Meta indicated would begin on December 4, 2025—nearly a week ahead of the legal deadline.

As of November 21, 2025, the eSafety Commissioner stated there are "no plans to add further platforms before December 10," indicating the current list of restricted and exempted services is stable for the initial rollout.

Context of the Legislation

Australia’s approach represents a stringent global precedent in online safety regulation. Unlike the United States' COPPA regulations, which focus on data collection for children under 13 and often allow access with parental consent, the Australian law creates a blanket ban for those under 16. There is no provision for parental consent to override the restriction.

The legislation requires platforms to take "reasonable steps" to verify age, a requirement that will likely involve third-party verification systems or AI-based age estimation. Trials for these age-assurance technologies are scheduled to commence in 2026. While the policy enjoys significant public support within Australia—polling around 70-80% approval—it faces opposition from industry bodies like the Digital Industry Group Inc. (DIGI) and constitutional challenges, though no legal action has yet delayed the implementation timeline.