YouTube Warns Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban Will Make Children ‘Less Safe’
YouTube has sharply criticized Australia’s soon-to-be-implemented social media ban for under-16s, calling the world-first legislation “rushed” and warning it could undermine online safety rather than enhance it.
Beginning December 10, Australians under the age of 16 will be barred from using major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, as part of the government’s sweeping effort to shield young people from harmful algorithmic content.
“This law will not fulfil its promise to make kids safer online and will, in fact, make Australian kids less safe on YouTube,” said Rachel Lord, the platform’s public policy manager. “We’ve heard from parents and educators who share these concerns.”
YouTube—one of the world’s most-visited sites—was initially expected to be exempt so that minors could continue accessing educational material. However, the government reversed course in July, arguing that children needed protection from what it described as “predatory algorithms.”
Under the new law, YouTube will automatically sign out all Australian users under 16 based on the ages linked to their Google accounts. While underage viewers will still be able to watch videos without logging in, they will lose access to crucial features such as wellbeing tools, content filters, and personalised safety settings.
Lord said the “rushed regulation misunderstands our platform and the way young Australians use it,” adding: “At YouTube, we believe in protecting kids in the digital world, not from the digital world.”
The company also confirmed it will archive under-16 accounts so they can be reactivated once users turn 16—without deleting any content or data.
Government Pushes Back
Communications Minister Anika Wells dismissed YouTube’s criticism as “outright weird.”
“If YouTube is reminding us all that it is not safe and that inappropriate content is easily accessible to kids who aren’t logged in, that’s a problem YouTube needs to fix,” she said.
Global Attention and Growing Controversy
Australia’s bold experiment is drawing intense international interest as governments worldwide struggle to address the risks posed by unfiltered social media exposure.
Authorities admit the system will not be perfect at launch and that some underage users may slip through as enforcement improves.
Platforms that fail to take “reasonable steps” to comply face fines of A$49.5 million (US$32 million) starting next week. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has already begun deactivating accounts based on the ages provided at sign-up.
The policy is also facing legal challenges. Last week, the Digital Freedom Project petitioned Australia’s High Court to block the ban, arguing it amounts to an “unfair” restriction on freedom of speech.
