Australia Expands Social Media Ban to Include YouTube

Australia will ban children under 16 from creating accounts on major social media platforms, now explicitly including YouTube, effective December 2025. The inclusion of YouTube follows recommendations from the eSafety Commissioner and new evidence that it poses similar online harms to children as other platforms, despite YouTube's argument that it is mainly a video-sharing service. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X, and YouTube must take steps to prevent underage accounts or face fines up to A$50 million. Children will still be able to watch videos without an account. The policy, aimed at protecting children's mental health, faces enforcement and age verification challenges and has sparked debate about government versus parental responsibility. Other countries, including Norway and the UK, are considering similar online safety measures.