Australia has reversed its earlier decision to exclude YouTube from its teen social media ban. A new youth social media law will take effect in December.
Australia is extending its landmark social media ban to include YouTube, prohibiting children under 16 from creating accounts on the platform in an effort to shield teens from harmful online content.
“Children under the age of 16 will no longer be allowed to have YouTube accounts,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday.
YouTube, owned by Alphabet, was initially exempt from the ban due to its widespread use in education.
Last year, Australia became the first country to propose restricting social media access for teenagers. Platforms affected by the ban—such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok—have voiced strong opposition to the move.
Why is Australia now banning YouTube?
Australia decided to include YouTube in its under-16 social media ban after the country’s internet regulator presented survey data showing that 37% of minors had encountered harmful content on the platform.
“We want kids to know who they are before platforms decide that for them,” said Communications Minister Anika Wells in a statement.
“There is a role for social media, but not for predatory algorithms targeting children,” she added.
How has YouTube responded?
In response, a YouTube spokesperson stated that the platform should not be classified as social media.
“We share the government’s aim of reducing online harm. However, our stance is unchanged: YouTube is a video-sharing platform, not social media,” the spokesperson said, emphasizing its growing popularity on TV screens and access to free, high-quality content.
The statement also criticized the government’s reversal of an earlier decision to exempt YouTube and noted the platform would assess its next steps while continuing dialogue with the authorities.
Wednesday’s announcement may reignite tensions with Alphabet, YouTube’s parent company, which previously threatened to scale back Google services in Australia over a 2021 law requiring payment to news outlets for content shown in search results.
What is Australia’s teen social media ban?
In November 2024, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government introduced legislation to prohibit children under 16 from accessing social media platforms.
The law is set to take effect on December 10, 2025.
Social media companies that fail to enforce the age restrictions could face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars (€27 million).
“Social media platforms have a social responsibility, and it’s clear that Australian children are being harmed by their exposure to these sites,” Albanese said on Wednesday.
“I want Australian parents to know—we’re standing with them.”
