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2w ago

Australia Poised to Remove YouTube Exemption From Under-16 Social Media Ban

eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has recommended scrapping YouTube’s carve-out after research found it poses the highest exposure to harmful content among under-16s.

A smartphone with a displayed YouTube logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken February 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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Overview

  • Julie Inman Grant formally advised Communications Minister Anika Wells to include YouTube in the world-first ban, reversing its initial exemption granted for educational use.
  • New eSafety Commission research shows 37% of children aged 10 to 15 encountered harmful content on YouTube, more than on TikTok, Instagram or Snapchat.
  • YouTube has pushed back, arguing it is a streaming platform rather than a social network and warning that removing its exemption could cut off educational and health resources.
  • The government is finalising regulations ahead of the December 10, 2025 start date, requiring platforms to deploy age-verification measures or face fines up to A$50 million for breaches.
  • Inman Grant also urged rules based on harm-assessment criteria and highlighted emerging threats from AI chatbots that expose young users to explicit and manipulative interactions.