YouTube Warns Australia's Social Media Ban Will Make Children Less Safe Online

YouTube stated on Wednesday that all Australian users under 16 years of age would be automatically signed out of the platform starting December 10.

The video streaming giant has criticized Australia's forthcoming social media ban for users under 16, describing the world-first legislation as "rushed" and impractical.

Beginning December 10, Australia will implement a ban preventing users under 16 from accessing many popular social media platforms and websites, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

"Most critically, this legislation will not achieve its goal of enhancing online safety for children, and will actually make Australian young users less safe when using YouTube," stated Rachel Lord, YouTube's public policy manager, in an official release.

"We've received feedback from concerned parents and educators who share these sentiments."

YouTube, among the world's most-visited websites, was initially expected to be excluded from the ban to allow children access to educational content.

However, the Australian government reversed its position in July, asserting that young users needed protection from "predatory algorithms."

YouTube confirmed that all Australian accounts belonging to users under 16 would be automatically logged out on December 10, based on age information associated with their Google accounts.

Underage visitors will still be able to browse YouTube without logging in, but will lose access to numerous features, including "wellbeing settings" and important "safety filters."

Lord emphasized that the "hastily implemented regulation demonstrates a misunderstanding of our platform and how young Australians utilize it."

"At YouTube, our philosophy is to protect children within the digital environment, not to isolate them from it."

YouTube has announced it will preserve accounts for reactivation once users reach the age of 16.

"We will maintain all their existing content and data, which will remain available when they return to the platform."

There is significant global interest in whether Australia's comprehensive restrictions will prove effective, as regulators worldwide grapple with social media-related dangers.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has characterized social media as "a channel for peer pressure, a source of anxiety, a conduit for scammers, and most alarmingly, a tool exploited by online predators."

The Australian government acknowledges that the ban will not be flawless at implementation, and some underage users will inevitably circumvent restrictions as issues are addressed.

However, platforms risk fines of up to $32 million if they fail to take "reasonable steps" to comply with the regulations.

Meta, Facebook's parent company, has already begun deactivating accounts based on information such as the age provided at creation.

Last week, an internet rights organization launched a legal challenge to stop the implementation of these laws.

The Digital Freedom Project has brought its challenge to Australia's High Court, arguing that the laws represent an "unfair" infringement on freedom of expression.