TZUTC: -0500
MSGID: 1680.consprcy@1:2320/105 2d71eaa7
PID: Synchronet 3.21a-Linux master/123f2d28a Jul 12 2025 GCC 12.2.0
TID: SBBSecho 3.28-Linux master/123f2d28a Jul 12 2025 GCC 12.2.0
BBSID: CAPCITY2
CHRS: ASCII 1
FORMAT: flowed
Reddit and Kick added to Australia's social media ban as deadline looms  but
critics are increasingly concerned

Date:
Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:22:56 +0000

Description:
Australia's eSafety Commissioner has added online forum Reddit and streaming
service Kick to its list of platforms subject to an impending ban for
under-16s. The law, which comes into effect soon, raises questions about
online privacy and the effectiveness of such widespread restrictions

FULL STORY

Reddit and Kick are the latest platforms to be added to Australia's
age-restricted social media list. 

The law, effective December 10, will fine platforms up to A$50 million for
failing to block users under the age of 16 from accessing their content.
However, critics fear the age verification methods required will compromise
the data privacy of all Australian users. 

The move signals a widening of the controversial new law, which is set to be
the first of its kind globally and will come into effect on December 10, 
2025. 

The forum and streaming platform join a growing list of tech giants, 
including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, and X (formerly
Twitter), that will be legally obligated to take "reasonable steps" to 
prevent and remove underage users from their services. 

Communications Minister Anika Wells has taken a firm stance, stating that the
government has met with platforms to ensure they understand their 
obligations. "We have met with several of the social media platforms in the
past month so that they understand there is no excuse for failure to 
implement this law," Wells told reporters . 

"Online platforms use technology to target children with chilling control. We
are merely asking that they use that same technology to keep children safe
online."

Privacy concerns and circumvention 

The impending ban has sparked significant debate, particularly over how
platforms will enforce the age restrictions. Critics have raised serious
privacy concerns, arguing that the methods required to verify a user's age
could compromise the data of all Australians, not just children. 

The law requires companies to implement age-assurance technologies, which
could involve biometric analysis or the collection of sensitive identity
documents, creating new risks to data security. 

The government has stated that platforms will not need to verify the age of
every single user, but must take "reasonable steps" to detect and remove 
those under 16. However, the ambiguity of what constitutes "reasonable steps"
has left tech companies concerned about compliance. 

The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has indicated this will be a
"dynamic list," with more services potentially added as technology evolves. 

Furthermore, questions remain about the law's effectiveness in a globalised
digital world. 

In other countries where platform-specific bans have been implemented,
tech-savvy users often turn to tools like the best VPN to circumvent
restrictions. A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, can mask a user's location
and IP address, making it difficult for platforms to enforce region-specific
rules and age gates.

An evolving digital landscape 

The inclusion of Reddit, a sprawling forum with diverse communities, and 
Kick, a popular livestreaming service known for its gambling content,
highlights the challenge regulators face. 

While some platforms like Discord, Roblox, and WhatsApp are currently
excluded, the eSafety Commissioner has made it clear that assessments are
ongoing. 

A spokesperson for Kick told Channel News Asia that while Australia is a 
small market, the company was founded there and will "continue engaging
constructively on these new rules to support fair outcomes: protecting online
safety without compromising privacy." 

As the December 10 deadline approaches, the world is watching to see how
Australia implements this unprecedented legislation. The government's goal,
according to Commissioner Inman Grant, is to give children "valuable time to
learn and grow, free of the powerful, unseen forces of opaque algorithms and
endless scroll." The long-term impact on youth safety, user privacy, and the
digital landscape remains to be seen. 

======================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/reddit-and-kick-added-to-au
stralias-social-media-ban-as-deadline-looms-but-critics-are-increasingly-conce
rned

$$
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
 * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)
SEEN-BY: 105/81 106/201 128/187 129/14 305 153/7715 154/110 218/700
SEEN-BY: 226/30 227/114 229/110 206 300 307 317 400 426 428 470 664
SEEN-BY: 229/700 705 266/512 291/111 320/219 322/757 342/200 396/45
SEEN-BY: 460/58 633/280 712/848 902/26 2320/0 105 304 3634/12 5075/35
PATH: 2320/105 229/426