Reddit adds safety features for teens everywhere after Australia social media ban

Reddit is launching new safety features for teens across the globe, as Australia’s social media ban for children under 16 goes into effect.

All Reddit users under 18, regardless of where they live, will encounter a new version of the social media platform featuring more safety features, including stricter chat settings, no sensitive or personalized ads, and no access to NSFW or mature content, Reddit said in a post on Monday.

On Wednesday, Australia is set to implement the world’s first social media ban for children under 16, barring impressionable kids from popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Reddit, among others.

Under the ban, prompted by growing concern over young people’s access to social media, 10 of the biggest social media platforms were ordered to block children or be fined up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32.9 million).

The social media platform, known as a host for online discussions on any topic under the sun, says Redditors in Australia will see “new experiences and policies designed to confirm their age responsibly and securely.”

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“We care deeply about the safety of our users, including any minors, and while some of these changes are required by law, others represent global measures we're voluntarily taking to improve safety and privacy for those under 18,” Reddit said.

Reddit announced several changes impacting users in Australia, including that they will now be required to provide their birthdate during account signup to ensure they are over 16.

All Australian users will also be subject to an “age prediction model,” designed to help protect young users from accessing adult content before they’re old enough. Reddit notes that if users are predicted to be under 16, they will have an opportunity to appeal or verify their age.

Additionally, Reddit users determined to be over 13 but under 16 will have their accounts suspended. Reddit has a global ban on users under the age of 13.

The platform notes that while it disagrees “about the scope, effectiveness, and privacy implications” of the new Australian law, it is still making changes to meet the requirements.

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Other social media platforms impacted, like Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and Threads, have also started to ban children from their apps.

Even though the ban may seem controversial to some, many other countries are likely looking on as they consider similar age-based measures to help protect children from the harms of social media.

“While Australia is the first to adopt such restrictions, it is unlikely to be the last,” Tama Leaver, a professor of internet studies at Curtin University, told Reuters.

“Governments around the world are watching how the power of Big Tech was successfully taken on. The social media ban in Australia…is very much the canary in the coal mine.”