Australia forwards regulation of social networks, Twitch cancels accounts of under-16s. The new law brings severe penalties for non-compliance and arouses controversy.
Streaming service Twitch will have to delete the accounts of all users under the age of 16 under Australia’s tough new social networking laws that come into effect on December 10. This was reported by the Commissioner for Internet Security in Canberra.
The commissioner said US company Twitch, which started as a platform for game streamers and now broadcasts live streams of various genres, met the criteria for the ban.
Penalties for non-compliance
Other platforms covered by the law include Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. The operators of these networks face a high fine of up to 27.7 million euros in case of failure to comply with the order.
Websites such as Pinterest, LegoPlay and WhatsApp are not covered by the law. Several other platforms are still being investigated by the relevant authorities.
Twitch Viewer Data
According to Twitch, nearly 70 percent of its viewers are in the 18-34 age group, but available data does not include the exact number of younger viewers. The platform does not currently allow access to children under the age of 13.
Tech companies have criticized the law, calling it “vague,” “problematic” and “hasty.”
A symbolic law?
However, some experts believe that the law will only be symbolic, as the implementation and control of online age verification is difficult.
