Tech entities including WhatsApp and Reddit—as well as streaming giant Twitch, gaming firm Roblox, Lego Play, and Pinterest—could be among more than a dozen sites added to Australia’s social media ban for under-16s, the country’s regulator announced on Wednesday, September 24th.
The head of Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has also written to 16 more companies to “self-assess” whether they fall under the ban’s remit.
According to the national broadcaster ABC, companies will need to make a case if they believe their platform should be exempt from the ban.
A Roblox spokesperson insisted the platform was not a social media company and therefore did not qualify for the ban:
We prohibit users from uploading real–world photos or video, or re–sharing news, and we do not offer social media feeds within experiences in Australia.
Such arguments might not protect the tech firms from fines. The eSafety Commission will be able to penalise social media companies with fines of up to $32.6 million (€18.3 million) for failing to comply with the new regulations.
