AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Reddit app on the screen of an iPhone. (File photo: iStock)05 Nov 2025 11:18AM Bookmark Bookmark WhatsApp Telegram Facebook Twitter Email LinkedInRead a summary of this article on FAST.Get bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST SYDNEY: Popular social media website Reddit and streaming giant Kick will be added to a list of websites banned for under-16s in Australia from next month, Canberra said on Wednesday (Nov 5).Australia will, from Dec 10, force social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to remove users under the age of 16, slapping hefty fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$32 million) if they fail to do so.Streaming platform Kick and online forum Reddit will also be included in the new legislation, Minister for Communications Anika Wells said on Wednesday."Online platforms use technology to target children with chilling control," Wells told reporters."We are merely asking they use that same technology to keep children safe online," she said."We want children to have a childhood and we want parents to have peace of mind."YouTube warns Australia social media ban will not keep children safeCommentary: Details on how Australia’s social media ban for under-16s will work are finally becoming clearThere is keen interest in whether Australia's sweeping restrictions can work as regulators around the globe wrestle with the dangers of social media.On paper, the ban is one of the strictest in the world.But some experts are concerned that the law will be merely symbolic.So far, platforms like Roblox, Discord and WhatsApp will not be banned, but streaming site Twitch is under review.But Wells said the list of banned platforms was not static and could change.And eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said while age restrictions were one "really potent solution" to stopping social media harm, they were not a quick fix.Social media companies have previously described the laws as "vague", "problematic" and "rushed".A Kick spokesperson said: "Australia represents a small share of our global audience, but Kick was built here and we'll keep backing our local creators.""We'll continue engaging constructively on these new rules to support fair outcomes: protecting online safety without compromising privacy or limiting the creative freedom that drives Australia's creator economy," they added.Kick came under scrutiny in France after a 46-year-old man died during a 12-day livestreaming marathon on his channel that showed him enduring abuse and humiliation dished out by other participants.The government said earlier this year that social media giants will not be required to verify the ages of all users, but must take "reasonable steps" to detect and deactivate underage ones.Australia’s social media ban for children draws both cheers and fears from expertsSource: AFP/rlSign up for our newslettersGet our pick of top stories and thought-provoking articles in your inboxSubscribe hereGet the CNA appStay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best storiesDownload hereGet WhatsApp alertsJoin our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat appJoin hereAlso worth readingContent is loading...Expand to read the full storyGet bite-sized news via a newcards interface. Give it a try.Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FASTFAST