Australia bans YouTube accounts for children under 16 from December

In a major policy reversal, the Australian government has announced that YouTube will be included among social media platforms prohibited for users less than 16 years of age, effective from December 10.

The move overturns a previous exemption granted to the video-sharing platform when Parliament passed landmark legislation last November restricting under-16s from accessing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and X (formerly Twitter).

Communications Minister Anika Wells on Wednesday released a list of services that will fall under the “age-restricted social media platforms” category. She confirmed YouTube’s inclusion, citing government research that found four in 10 Australian children reported experiencing harm on the platform.

“We will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids,” Wells told reporters. She said platforms that fail to take “reasonable steps” to exclude underage users could face fines of up to AUD 50 million (USD 33 million).

While children will still be able to access YouTube content, they will no longer be allowed to hold their own accounts.

YouTube’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., criticized the decision as a reversal of a prior public commitment. “Our position remains clear: YouTube is not social media, it is a video-sharing platform increasingly viewed on TV screens,” the company said in a statement, adding it would consult with the government on next steps.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia would push for international backing for the under-16 social media ban at a UN forum in New York in September, calling the issue a “common global experience.”

Messaging, education, health, and gaming apps are excluded from the ban as they are deemed less harmful.