Australia has passed landmark legislation banning children under 16 from accessing social media. While the political discourse has focused heavily on mental health and the safety of minors online, the ban introduces complex logistical hurdles for the tabletop hobby.
For young gamers, the legislation effectively dismantles the community infrastructure used to discover new games and find groups, even while the digital tools required to play them remain technically legal.
The Great Split: Tools vs. Community
The nuance of the legislation lies in its definitions. The ban targets platforms where the primary function is social interaction, distinguishing them from “online games” or “messaging services.”
This distinction is critical for the survival of the hobby among Australian youth. Virtual Tabletops such as Roll20, Foundry VTT, and Fantasy Grounds are likely to be classified as games or software tools rather than social media. Consequently, these platforms should remain accessible, allowing existing groups to continue their campaigns without interruption.
Similarly, digital reference libraries and toolsets, including D&D Beyond, Demiplane, and World Anvil, function primarily as “wiki farms” or databases. These platforms, essential for character creation and rule referencing, appear to fall outside the scope of the ban.
Perhaps most importantly, Discord is currently classified as a messaging application. As the engine room of modern online play, providing the voice chat and dice bots for thousands of remote games, its exemption suggests that the actual act of playing Dungeons & Dragons or Pathfinder online will remain legal for under-16s.
The “Looking For Group” Crisis
While the gameplay remains safe, the pipeline for recruitment has been severed. The ban cuts off access to the primary hubs where players form groups and discuss the hobby. Whether this is a good or bad thing is a matter of personal opinion.
Reddit, a cornerstone of the TTRPG community, is explicitly targeted. Subreddits such as r/lfg (Looking For Group), r/DnD, and r/Pathfinder_RPG serve as vital connection points for isolated players. These are now off-limits to young Australians.
The ban extends to Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). These platforms host countless local game store pages, university club announcements, and community groups. A teenager looking to join a local club or find an online group will no longer be able to access the very networks designed to facilitate those connections.
The result is a forced insulation of the hobby. Young players will likely be restricted to playing exclusively with friends they already know in real life or with whom they already have existing connections on exempt messaging apps. The era of easily finding a new circle of friends via a “Players Wanted” post is effectively over for this demographic.
The Actual Play Pipeline is Broken
For the last decade, the primary method of onboarding new players into the hobby has been “Actual Play” streaming. Shows like Critical Role and Dimension 20 have served as global tutorials for the next generation of gamemasters.
This discovery engine is now stalled in Australia. Twitch and Kick are banned, preventing under-16s from creating accounts, chatting, or interacting with live streams.
YouTube remains a partial exception, allowing access in a “signed-out” capacity. However, without the ability to subscribe, comment, or participate in Community Tab discussions, TTRPG content consumption shifts from a social, communal experience to a passive, isolated one.
Grey Areas and Marketplace Access
Ambiguity persists regarding official publisher forums. While likely safe, forums such as those run by Paizo for Pathfinder could technically face scrutiny if their “significant purpose” is deemed to be social interaction rather than customer support or rule clarification.
Fortunately, direct commerce appears unaffected. Young gamers looking to purchase PDFs or print-on-demand books can still access marketplaces like DriveThruRPG. The ability to buy the games remains; it is simply the ability to talk about them publicly that has been removed.
The legislation creates a paradoxical future for Australian youth: they have full access to the dice, the rules, and the virtual table, but the door to the wider community has been locked.
You can read more about the social media ban at The Guardian.
Photo by Daniel Lincoln on Unsplash.
