Australia to include YouTube in under-16 social media ban

July 30, 2025

Canberra: Australia has decided to include YouTube in its pioneering social media ban for children under 16, after initially granting the platform an exemption, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday.

During a press conference in Canberra, Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells stated that the government has accepted advice from the online safety regulator, the eSafety Commissioner, to extend the ban to include YouTube. The platform was originally exempted from the ban set to begin on December 10 because of its educational and health content. However, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant indicated in June that YouTube exposes children to harmful material, prompting this change.

Albanese emphasized that the government is ready to take action against social media platforms that cause social harm. “We know this isn’t the only solution, and there’s more work ahead. But it will make a difference,” he said.

Wells explained that the decision to include YouTube was driven by the priority to protect children, putting parents’ concerns above platform interests. This move follows threats of legal action earlier in July from YouTube and its parent company, Google, which sought to challenge the exemption in court.

Wells stated that the government will not be deterred by legal threats, asserting, “We can’t control the ocean, but we can police the sharks, and that’s why we will not be intimidated when it’s a genuine fight for the well-being of Australian kids.”

In response, a Google spokesperson said that the decision contradicts their previous commitment to keep YouTube exempt from the ban and indicated that the company is considering its next steps.

Wells added that the government is waiting for the final recommendations from a trial of age verification technology before clarifying how the ban will be implemented.