Reddit has been added to the list of social media platforms targeted by Australia as part of its upcoming ban on social media use for those under the age of 16.
The streaming platform Kick will also be included, alongside Facebook, X, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads, all of which will be off-limits to under-16s starting next month.
From 10 December, companies that operate these platforms will face fines of up to 32.5 million dollars if they fail to take concrete action to disable accounts belonging to users under 16.
“Delaying children’s access to social media gives them valuable time to learn and grow, free from the powerful, unseen forces of harmful and deceptive design features such as opaque algorithms and endless scrolling,” said Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant.
So far, tech companies have not presented any clear plan or measures to comply with the new legislation.
