Australia Shuts Down YouTube Accounts for Children Under 16

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) The Australian government has announced that YouTube will be added to the list of social media platforms that must ensure account holders are at least 16 years old starting in December, reversing its earlier stance that exempted the video-sharing platform.

YouTube No Longer Exempt

When Australia passed its world-first social media age restriction laws in November last year, YouTube was originally excluded. The laws banned children under 16 from platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter).

On Wednesday, Communications Minister Anika Wells confirmed that YouTube will now also be classified as an “age-restricted social media platform.”

The new rules will officially take effect on December 10. Platforms that fail to take “responsible steps” to block underage users face fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($33 million). The law does not explicitly define what those steps must be.

Government Defends Its Decision

Minister Wells defended the inclusion of YouTube, saying the government would not back down despite potential legal challenges from YouTube’s U.S. owner, Alphabet Inc.

“The evidence cannot be ignored that four out of 10 Australian kids report that their most recent harm was on YouTube,” Wells said. “We will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the well-being of Australian kids.”

Under the new rules, children will still be able to watch YouTube videos, but they will not be allowed to hold their accounts.

YouTube Pushes Back

In response, YouTube criticized the move, calling it a reversal of a clear public commitment by the government to exclude the platform.

“We share the government’s goal of reducing online harms,” YouTube said in a statement. “But YouTube is a video-sharing platform, not social media. It is a global library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens.”

The company added that it would consider its next steps and continue to engage with the government on the issue.

International Push for Support

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia will take its campaign to the United Nations forum in New York in September, urging other countries to back a global ban on children under 16 using social media.

“I know from my discussions with other leaders that they are also looking at the impact social media has on young people,” Albanese said. “This is a shared challenge, not just an Australian one.”

Age Verification and Exemptions

The government previously commissioned an evaluation of age assurance technologies to determine how best to enforce the new restrictions. While the report’s final recommendations are still pending, Wells clarified that users will not need to upload passports or driver’s licenses to prove their age.

“Platforms know with deadly accuracy who we are and what we do,” she said. “They know if you’ve had a Facebook account since 2009, so they know you’re over 16. They can build systems without forcing users to share personal ID documents.”

Not all online services are included in the age ban. Exemptions cover platforms such as online gaming, messaging apps, education, and health services, which are considered less harmful to children.

Why the Ban?

The minimum age requirement is aimed at reducing a range of harms linked to social media, including:

Addictive behaviors fueled by manipulative design features
Social isolation and disrupted sleep patterns
Poor mental and physical health outcomes
Reduced life satisfaction among children
Exposure to inappropriate or harmful content

The government says these measures are necessary to protect the wellbeing of children in an increasingly digital world.