Australia Considers Including YouTube in Social Media Ban for Under-16s

Australia Considers Including YouTube in Social Media Ban for Under-16s
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Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has recommended that YouTube be included in the government’s upcoming social media ban for users aged 16 and under, Anadolu Agency reported. The ban, expected to take effect at the end of 2025, currently covers platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and X.

Australia became the first country to pass a law banning children from social media in November 2024. While YouTube was initially exempted, Grant argued that no platform should be specifically excluded due to changing risks and harms. Speaking at the National Press Club, she said, “Any platform that says they are absolutely safe is absolutely spinning words.”

The recommendation would not prevent teachers from showing educational YouTube content while logged out. Google, YouTube’s owner, urged the government to allow continued access, emphasizing that YouTube is a video streaming service widely used in classrooms.

Research shows seven in 10 children have encountered harmful content online, with YouTube being the most frequently cited platform for exposure to such material, including misogyny, hate speech, and disordered eating content.