Australia has decided to add YouTube to social media platforms banned for teens in the world-first regulations on online safety that will kick in from December. Earlier, YouTube, the world's second biggest website and search platformm, was exempted from social media platforms that teens couldn't open accounts on. On Tuesday (July 29), the video-sharing platform was added to the list, which also includes Meta's Facebook, Instagram, as well as TikTok and Snapchat.
Australia's social media ban for children: What is the landmark law all about?
Australian parliament passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act on 29 November 2024. The law bans social media account access for those aged below 16 from this December. Violations can result in fines of up to A$49.5 million per platform.
YouTube was earlier exempted, having been seen as a platform with 'educational or health value'. But pressure from competitors and safety experts set the stage for the reversal for YouTube.
Note that the rules prevent those below 16 from creating accounts, and not from accessing the content.
YouTube exemption for teens reversed over ‘harmful content’
YouTube was exempted from the law as a 'valuable educational tool frequently used in classrooms', but additional research found that it was the platform where
minors aged 10–15 most frequently encountered harmful content, with 37 per cent reporting recent exposure, the highest for any platform.
Following this, Australia's eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, formally recommended that YouTube be included in the ban.
YouTube will now be subject to the same restrictions preventing under-16s from having accounts. Age verification and deactivation will be required for existing accounts created by such individuals.
How Australian officials and YouTube reacted to teen social media ban
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said recently that while the ban is not the only solution, it will make a difference, adding, “Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs.”
Communications Minister Anika Wells said there’s not a place for predatory algorithms targeting children. Protecting children from social media harm is “like trying to teach your kids to swim in the open ocean with the rips and the sharks compared to at the local council pool,” she added.
YouTube ban for teens in Australia: What video platform said
YouTube, owned by Alphabet, said the reversal on teen access undermines a prior commitment and hinted at legal action. Challenging its classification as a social media platform, YouTube stressed its educational value, with a statement calling itself a ‘video‑sharing platform with a library of free, high‑quality content.’
Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, as well as TikTok and Snapchat had criticised YouTube’s earlier exemption as “illogical, anti-competitive and short-sighted”, comparing it to allowing one soft drink brand while banning others.
YouTube ban in Australia: Educational value vs online safety
The Australian government's reversal is a shift in priorities between allowing access to educational tools and ensuring digital safety and mental health of children. Despite YouTube’s usefulness in learning, the country's regulators concluded that the interactive features and algorithm-driven recommendations exposed children to disproportionate harm.
YouTube ban for teens in Australia: Can age verification be implemented on social media?
There are various age-verification systems being tested. The results are mixed, with some detecting 15‑year-olds as adults. There are still questions about the feasibility and enforcement of the social media ban for teens.
Globally, the regulatory crackdown on social media in Australia is being watched eagerly, with countries like Norway and the UK expressing interest in similar legislation. YouTube’s inclusion in the Australian law sets a precedent for how digital platforms could be regulated beyond traditional definitions of social media.
The Australian government is prioritising a 'precautionary principle': Better to err on the side of restricting access than risk exposure to harmful content for teens. This could set a precedent on legal definitions of platforms and will be a landmark move in robust youth internet regulation.
For tech companies, it's not self-regulation only anymore. They could face enforcement, including heavy fines and mandatory compliance. The move against YouTube expands the definition of social media, with the awareness that educational utility alone does not outweigh algorithmic risk.
As Australia leads the way, similar policies may emerge globally, forcing tech platforms to rethink content moderation, age verification, and their role in safeguarding youth and children online.
