YouTube added to Australia’s under-16 social media ban

Australia will include YouTube in its upcoming ban on social media access for teenagers under 16, reversing an earlier exemption for the platform.

According to a report by Reuters, the recent decision follows pressure from regulators who found 37% of minors reported harmful content on YouTube, the highest rate among major platforms.  

The expanded ban, set to take effect in December, now covers Alphabet-owned YouTube alongside Meta's Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. As per a Reuters report on the matter, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated, "I'm calling time on it... I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs," emphasising concerns about children's exposure to harmful online content.  

YouTube disputes the classification, adds the Reuters report, arguing it's primarily a video-sharing service. "Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform... It's not social media," a spokesperson said. The platform is used by nearly 75% of Australians aged 13–15, and teachers had initially secured its exemption due to educational use.  

The reversal sparks a potential legal battle with Alphabet, which previously threatened to pull services from Australia over regulatory disputes. YouTube recently urged the government to "uphold the integrity of the legislative process,"* though it hasn't confirmed reports of a planned court challenge, as per Reuters.

Teachers will still access YouTube for classroom use, with educators noting they act as "curators of any resource for appropriateness". The ban highlights growing global scrutiny of tech giants' influence on minors.