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   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   
      
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