"Reddit and video streaming platform Kick will join the likes of Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok in being required by the Australian government to ban users under the age of 16, the federal communications minister has revealed. On Wednesday night, Anika Wells announced the list of eight companies which the government expects to block under-16 users from 10 December. Reddit and Kick are the two new additions to the list, with the other platforms which include Instagram, X and YouTube previously being identified by the government."
"Wells said Australia's eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, had assessed the eight platforms and decided they should form the starting point for the social media ban. Under the changes, the companies must take reasonable steps to prevent people under the age of 16 from holding accounts, or face fines of up to $49.5m. The government has not ruled out adding more platforms in the future, with assessments ongoing and an expectation that the list will be dynamic."
"Inman Grant had written to 16 different companies asking for them to assess whether they would be required to ban under-16s. Among those contacted but not named in the list were Discord, GitHub, Roblox and Twitch. Reddit is the sole forum discussion-type site to be included in the ban. Kick an Australian video streaming platform similar to Twitch was added to the list, months after the high-profile death of a French user who was streaming on the platform in August."
Australia will mandate eight platforms to prevent users under 16 from holding accounts, effective 10 December, with fines up to $49.5m for non-compliance. The eSafety commissioner assessed the initial list and identified Reddit and Kick as new additions alongside Instagram, X, YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok. The government contacted 16 companies for assessment and may add more platforms as reviews continue. Platforms must take reasonable steps using available technology to restrict under-16 accounts. Kick, an Australian streaming site, was added after a high-profile streaming death and said it would cooperate and review content.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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