YouTube will soon be subject to Australia’s new minimum age requirement for social media platforms, reversing an earlier exemption that left it out of the crackdown. From 10 December, users under the age of 16 will no longer be allowed to hold personal accounts on platforms classified as “age-restricted” — a list that now includes YouTube alongside Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and Snapchat.
The revised rule follows updated government regulations clarifying which platforms fall under the Online Safety Act passed last November. At the time, YouTube was excluded, but new findings have prompted its inclusion.
Communications Minister Anika Wells said government research revealed that 40 percent of Australian children who experienced online harm pointed to YouTube as the source. “We will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids,” she said.
Platforms that fail to take what the government calls “responsible steps” to block underage users from signing up could face penalties of up to A$50 million (around £26 million). However, the exact definition of those steps remains unclear.
Children will still be able to watch YouTube content without logging in, but creating or using an account will be off-limits for anyone under 16.
YouTube pushed back against the decision, arguing that it breaks an earlier commitment by the government to keep the platform outside the scope of the new law. “YouTube is a video sharing platform, not social media,” the company said, adding that it will review the decision and continue talks with the government.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed he plans to raise the issue on the global stage, with Australia expected to bring it up at a United Nations forum in New York this September. He said the influence of social media on young users is a growing global concern.
To enforce the new rules, the government has commissioned an evaluation of age-verification technologies but will not mandate users to upload passports or driver’s licences. Instead, platforms may be required to rely on internal data to determine user age.
“These platforms know with deadly accuracy who we are, what we do and when we do it,” Wells said.
Services focused on education, health, gaming, or direct messaging are exempt from the new restrictions, with the government citing a lower risk of harm compared to mainstream social media platforms.
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