Australia is banning YouTube for children under 16 years of age, disintegrating the scope of a historic social media law that aims to protect adolescents from harmful materials.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanis announced on Wednesday, “Youths below 16 years will not account for YouTube.”
The alphabet-down video sharing platform gave bees on exemption due to its popularity with teachers.
Last year, Australia was the first country to ban social media for teenagers.
Sites covered by a ban on Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat and Tikok have opposed the proposed ban.
Why is Australia now banning YouTube?
Australia reversed their decision to release YouTube from the banned list of social media sites for people under 16 after exposing a survey of 37% of minors from the country’s Internet regulator on the site.
Communications Minister Anika Wales said in a statement, “We want the children to know who the platforms believe that.”
“There is a place for social media, but not a place for the hunter algorithms that target children.” He said.
How did YouTube react?
A YouTube spokesman said in a statement that YouTube is “not social media”.
The statement said that we share the government’s goal of addressing and reducing online horms.
“Government’s annual today reverses a clear, public commitment to exclude YouTube from this ban. We will consider the next stages and continue to join the government.”
Wednesday’s decision may begin a new controversy with the alphabet, which is danger in danger that he returned from Australia, who returned from Australia in response to a law to force the news outlet for the material that appears in search.
What is Australia’s teenage social media ban?
In November 2024, the Albanis government introduced a bill to ban social media for children under 16 years of age.
On December 10, 2025, the law has been slated to implement.
Social media giants are fined up to $ 49.5 million (€ 27 million) to fail to ban giants.
Albanis said on Wednesday, “Social media has social responsibility and there is no doubt that Australian children are affected by online platforms, so I am calling time on it.”
“I want the Australian parents to know that we have their back.”
Edited by: Wesley Rahan
