YouTube Added to Australia's Under-16 Social Media Ban Starting December 2025
Australia reversed course Wednesday by including YouTube in its groundbreaking social media ban for children under 16, making it the first country to restrict the video platform alongside Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and other major sites.
Australia's eSafety Commissioner found that 37% of children aged 10-15 reported seeing harmful content on YouTube-the highest rate among all social media platforms. The decision came after pressure from competitors and safety experts who criticized YouTube's earlier exemption as "illogical, anti-competitive and short-sighted".
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the policy shift alongside Communications Minister Anika Wells, stating: "Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs".
YouTube's parent company Google said it would "consider next steps" and continue engaging with the government, while reportedly threatening to challenge the ban in Australia's High Court on constitutional grounds. The tech giant argues "YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It's not social media".
The legislation takes effect in December 2025, one year after the law was passed in November 2024. Social media companies face fines up to A$49.5 million ($32.2 million) if they fail to prevent under-16 users from creating accounts.
Key details:
- Children can still watch YouTube without logging in or creating accounts
- YouTube Kids remains exempt from the ban
- Teachers can show educational videos in classrooms
- Platforms have until December 2025 to implement age verification systems
The ban includes Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X (formerly Twitter), and now YouTube. Parents cannot give consent to let under-16s use these platforms.
Exempt services include messaging apps like WhatsApp, online gaming platforms, and educational tools like Google Classroom.
Albanese plans to advocate for similar measures internationally when he attends the UN General Assembly in New York in September. Countries including Norway and the UK have expressed interest in following Australia's lead.
A November 2024 YouGov poll found 77% of Australians supported the age limit, despite concerns from digital rights groups about privacy and enforcement challenges.
The ban represents the world's first comprehensive attempt to restrict children's access to major social media platforms, setting a potential precedent for global digital child protection policies.
