Overview

• The new law, passed on July 30, bars Australians under 16 from creating or holding YouTube accounts starting December 10, 2025
• Platforms that fail to deploy age-verification systems risk fines reaching A$49.5 million for each breach
• This move closes YouTube’s prior exemption from the November 2024 under-16 social media prohibition
• YouTube has challenged its classification as a social network and signaled potential legal action over the expanded rule
• Experts warn that unclear enforcement guidelines and simple workarounds could undermine the ban’s real-world impact