Australia has widened its ban on teenagers accessing social media sites to include YouTube, despite warnings from its parent, Alphabet, that it would consider legal action over such a move.
Canberra passed legislation late last year aimed at preventing anyone under the age of 16 from registering to join social media platforms, including Instagram, X, TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat.
The law puts the onus on technology companies to enforce the age limit or face significant fines of up to A$50mn ($33mn).
YouTube, which argues it is a video-sharing service rather than a social media company, was exempt, due to its role in education and children’s entertainment.
However, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner said last month that YouTube should be included in the ban, after research showed it was the most frequently cited platform where children had encountered harmful content. Alphabet has written to the government to warn that it is considering its legal position.
Communications minister Anika Wells said on Wednesday that the eSafety Commissioner’s evidence “cannot be ignored”.
She said that parents have struggled to know what is best for their children online and that it was like trying to teach youngsters how to swim in the open sea rather than a local pool.
“We can’t control the ocean, but we can police the sharks, and that is why we will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids,” she said at a press conference.
YouTube said the move to include it in the social media ban was a “reversal” from a previous public commitment to exempt it that was passed in legislation last year. “We will consider next steps and will continue to engage with the government,” it said.
The ban — which comes into force in December — will not stop children from accessing YouTube. It will stop under-16s from registering for an account, limiting their access to inappropriate content and avoiding personalised recommendations. “We want kids to know who they are before platforms assume who they are,” Wells said.
Social media sites will need to deactivate existing accounts held by users under the age of 16 by December and take “reasonable steps” to ensure that children do not find easy ways to work around the ban.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday he was set to hold a meeting about the social media ban on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September, after other countries expressed interest in the legislation. “This is not an Australian experience; it is a common experience,” he said.
