Online gaming escaped Australia's social media ban - but critics say it's just as addictive1 day ago Share Save Katy Watson Australia correspondent , Perth Share SaveGetty Images Critics say gaming platforms should be included in Australia's ban on social media for under-16sWednesday afternoons have become a ritual for 15-year-old Sadmir Perviz. Gaming platforms and social media pose similar risks for children: excessive time spent online, and potential exposure to predators, harmful content or bullying. So she wonders why gaming platforms have not been included in Australia's "world-first" social media ban for under-16s. The ban, which came into force on Wednesday, is supposed to prevent teens from having accounts on 10 social media platforms including Instagram, Snapchat and X. The 'wild west of internet usage'Former gaming clinic patient Kevin Koo, 35, wonders whether a social media ban could have influenced the access he got at a younger age.