AUSTRALIA BANS YOUTUBE ACCOUNTS FOR UNDER-16S IN MAJOR ONLINE SAFETY REFORM

Australians under the age of 16 will no longer be allowed to create or hold YouTube accounts under new legislation aimed at protecting children from online harm.
The move comes as part of a broader push by the Australian government to tighten social media regulations under the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024. The law, which takes full effect on December 10, 2025, sets 16 as the minimum age for users to have accounts on major platforms, including YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Snapchat.
The federal government had initially excluded YouTube from the restrictions due to its educational value, but reversed that position following advice from the eSafety Commissioner. Authorities cited research showing YouTube is the most frequently reported platform in online harm cases involving children.
While minors will still be able to view content on YouTube without logging in, they will be blocked from creating accounts, uploading videos, commenting, or subscribing. Platforms failing to enforce the age limit could face fines of up to AU$49.5 million.
Tech companies are now under pressure to introduce stricter age verification tools as Australia becomes one of the first countries to impose such comprehensive age-based social media controls.