YouTube Added to Australian Social Media Restrictions

The Australian government has added YouTube to its new regulations governing how the under-16 set engages with social media platforms in the country.

The new social media rules, taking effect later this year, will prevent kids from creating accounts on the platform. YouTube had previously been exempted from the legislation, which also covers TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and Snapchat.

“Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is quoted as saying in local reports. “We know that this is not the only solution, but it will make a difference.”

Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells highlighted concerns over “predatory algorithms targeting children” on social media platforms, including YouTube. “The evidence cannot be ignored that four out of ten Australian kids report that their most recent harm was on YouTube,” Wells is quoted as saying to reporters. “We will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the well-being of Australian kids.”

A YouTube statement said: “We share the government’s goal of addressing and reducing online harms. Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video-sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It’s not social media.” The platform says it is engaging with the Australian government on next steps.