Twitch, Roblox and Steam face potential closure for under-16s under new Australia law

Australia’s new law could see Twitch, Roblox, Steam and others blocked for under-16s, pending review by eSafety.

Australia’s eSafety commissioner has contacted a number of major platforms, including Twitch, Roblox and Steam, to determine whether they will fall under the country’s new social media age-restriction law.

The legislation, set to take effect on December 10, will ban children under 16 from creating accounts on certain services.

In September, the commissioner requested that companies complete self-assessments against the law. While eSafety will not formally declare which platforms qualify, those deemed age-restricted will be expected to comply. Results of the assessments are expected to be shared before the law takes effect.

Meta-owned Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp, along with Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X, Discord, Reddit, Pinterest and Kick, are among the services most likely to be included.

A spokesperson said several of these “meet many of the conditions the legislation uses to define an age-restricted social media platform.”

Amazon-owned Twitch was also contacted and could face restrictions for users under 16. According to eSafety, the rules would only prevent underage users from opening accounts.

Services such as Twitch, YouTube and Kick can still be viewed without signing in, while TikTok and X require accounts for broader use.

The inclusion of gaming platforms such as Roblox, Steam and Lego Play has raised questions, as services primarily designed for online play are normally exempt. However, commissioner Julie Inman Grant has previously expressed concern about Roblox’s communication features being used for grooming.

“We know that when it comes to platforms that are popular with children, they also become popular with adult predators seeking to prey on them,” she said earlier this month.

Roblox has pledged to introduce new safeguards by the end of 2025, including stricter chat restrictions, private-by-default accounts for under-16s and tools that prevent adults from contacting children without parental consent.