Australia’s Internet Safety Regulator Recommends YouTube Inclusion in Teen Social Media Ban

THE WHAT?  Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has called for YouTube to be included in the country’s upcoming ban on social media access for users under 16, challenging a previous exemption granted to the platform.

THE DETAILS Julie Inman Grant, head of the eSafety Commission, issued a formal recommendation to the Minister for Communications to remove YouTube’s exemption from the Social Media Minimum Age Rules, which take effect in December. The law requires social platforms to prevent children under 16 from creating accounts or face fines up to A$50 million (US$32.4 million).

YouTube had initially been classified as “out of scope,” based on its use in education and health contexts. However, new survey data from 2,600 children aged 10–15 revealed YouTube was both the most widely used and the most frequently cited source of harmful content among youth — surpassing TikTok.

The regulator’s recommendation does not call for a full ban on YouTube viewing but proposes that children be restricted from creating accounts, keeping them from features such as subscriptions, content personalization, and comments. The commission is also pushing for no platforms to receive categorical exemptions due to the rapidly evolving nature of digital services.

THE WHY? The recommendation reflects growing concern over the blurred lines between entertainment, social networking, and algorithm-driven content. As platforms like YouTube integrate more social features, regulators are reassessing how they contribute to online harms. The push aligns with Australia’s broader effort to tighten online protections for children, amid ongoing debates about enforceability and age verification.

Source: Nikkei Asia

The post Australia’s Internet Safety Regulator Recommends YouTube Inclusion in Teen Social Media Ban appeared first on Global Cosmetics News.