YouTube officially included in Australia’s youth social media ban

The Australian federal government has confirmed that YouTube will be included in the upcoming youth social media ban.

It means that any Australian under the age of 16 will not be permitted to have a YouTube account. YouTube Kids, Google’s dedicated platform for children that does not enable video uploading or commenting, will not be part of the ban. Australians of all ages will still be able to access and view YouTube content without an account.

YouTube was not initially included in the government’s proposed youth social media ban. At the time of the proposed legislation’s passing in the Senate last year, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok were included, while YouTube was considered exempt.

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant urged the government in June to reverse YouTube’s exemption, citing the platform as “the most prevalent social media site” used by children.

In response, YouTube argued that it is a “video sharing platform, not a social media service, that offers benefit and value to younger Australians.”

Platforms defined as an “age-restricted social media platform” will be subject to the government’s underage ban starting on 10 December 2025. Social media platforms that fail to take “responsible steps to prevent underage account” access could be fined up to $49.5 million.

How will the youth social media ban be enforced?

Enforcement is now the next step of the government’s plans. There’s a lot of discussion about how social media platforms will verify users’ ages. Internet users in the UK have found multiple ways to bypass recent age verification technology, including using VPNs and scanning the faces of video game characters.

When asked whether Australians would need to upload their ID to verify their age, Communications Minister Anika Wells said that social media platforms “have to provide an alternative to providing your own personal identification documents”.

“These platforms know with deadly accuracy who we are, what we do, and when we do it,” Wells said during a press conference. “They know you’ve had a Facebook account since 2009, so they know that you’re over 16. There are lots of ways this can be done.”

Wells added that the government is awaiting the latest research from the eSafety Commissioner following a recent age assurance trial. More details about the implementation of the ban will be known closer to its December deadline.

The post YouTube officially included in Australia’s youth social media ban appeared first on GadgetGuy.

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