Australia Expands Teen Social Media Ban to Include YouTube

Australia will include YouTube in its upcoming ban on social media access for teenagers, reversing an earlier exemption for the Alphabet-owned platform.

The decision, announced Wednesday, follows a recommendation from the country’s internet regulator, which cited a survey showing 37% of minors reported encountering harmful content on YouTube.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the move is aimed at protecting young Australians from negative online influences.

“Social media have a social responsibility and there is no doubt that Australian kids are being negatively impacted by online platforms, so I'm calling time on it,” Albanese said in a statement.

The expanded ban is set to take effect in December. It will now cover YouTube alongside platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok.

YouTube, which says it is used by nearly 75% of Australians aged 13 to 15, maintains that it should not be classified as social media.

“Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It's not social media,” a YouTube spokesperson said via email.

The government had initially exempted YouTube due to its popularity among educators. However, other platforms argued that YouTube shares key features with social media, including user interaction and algorithm-driven content recommendations.

Cybersecurity experts have also raised concerns about the role of artificial intelligence in spreading misinformation on platforms like YouTube.

Adam Marre, chief information security officer at Arctic Wolf, said the government’s decision is a significant step in curbing the influence of large tech companies and safeguarding children.

The reversal may reignite tensions with Alphabet, which previously threatened to withdraw some Google services from Australia in 2021 over a law requiring payment to news outlets for content in search results.

Last week, YouTube said it had urged the government to “uphold the integrity of the legislative process.” Australian media reported that YouTube may challenge the decision in court, though the company has not confirmed this.

Under the law passed in November, social media platforms must take “reasonable steps” to prevent users under 16 from accessing their services or face fines of up to AUD 49.5 million (SGD 44.6 million).

The government is expected to receive a report this month on trials of age-verification technologies, which will guide enforcement of the ban.

---

• Australia will include YouTube in its teen social media ban starting December

• The decision follows a regulator’s warning about harmful content on the platform

• YouTube argues it is a video-sharing site, not social media

Source: REUTERS