Australia expands teen social media ban to include Amazon’s Twitch – The Times of India

Twitch (Image Courtesy: Twitch via Variety) Australia has now widened its restrictions on teen access to social media. As reported by Reuters, Australia has now added Amazon-owned Twitch to the list of platforms banned for users under 16 years of age, while sparing Pinterest from the crackdown. This move by the Australian government is part of its ongoing efforts to address concerns about online safety, mental health and exposure to harmful content among young people. As per the Reuters report, the ban by the Australian government now covers Twitch, the popular live-streaming platform which is known for gaming and interactive broadcasts. On the other hand, Pinterest is now included in the list as regulators feel that its content posed less risk as compared to other platforms. These restrictions are part of Australia’s broader Online Safety Act, which has been under review amid rising concerns about the screen time in teens and also exposure to inappropriate material. Why Twitch was targeted As reported by Reuters, the Australian officials cited that the unfiltered nature of Twitch’s live is one of the key reasons which led to the ban of Twitch. The platform let users have realtime interactions which regulators feel can expose
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