YouTube ban looms as Australia's woke chief censor gets her way
YouTube faces strict new age restrictions after being swept into Australia’s looming social media crackdown by the eSafety Commissioner.
A dramatic policy reversal will see YouTube included in Australia’s upcoming ban on under-16s holding social media accounts, setting the stage for a potential High Court showdown with the Google-owned platform.
Communications Minister Anika Wells will officially unveil the decision today, after receiving advice last month from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant recommending YouTube be subject to the same restrictions as platforms like TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.
Under the new rules, which come into effect in December, YouTube and other major platforms will be legally required to “take reasonable steps to prevent persons under 16 years of age from creating or holding an account”. Logged-out viewing will still be allowed, but users under 16 will be barred from uploading videos, posting comments or receiving personalised content.
Wells claimed the decision would help reduce the “persuasive and pervasive” influence of social media over children and provide “peace of mind” to parents.
Breaking: Albanese bans YouTube for users under 16 years old as a way of forcing age verification on all social media users in Australia. I'm pretty sure this will prove to be very unpopular with the majority of Aussies when they finally figure out that they have been conned. https://t.co/OuysoEArwe pic.twitter.com/5BDkkBRu2p
— Timjbo 🇦🇺 (@Tim_jbo) July 29, 2025
“There is no one perfect solution when it comes to keeping young Australians safer online – but the social media minimum age will make a significantly positive difference to their wellbeing,” she said.
The new legislation, passed late last year, is one of the most sweeping social media crackdowns in the world, with platforms facing fines of nearly $50 million for breaches.
YouTube had initially been granted an exemption by former communications minister Michele Rowland, who argued the platform played a valuable role in education and health content for young users. But Inman Grant strongly disagreed, saying, “Given the known risk of harms on YouTube... providing a specific carve-out for YouTube appears to be inconsistent with the purposes of the act.”
‘Banning social media for under 16s is a Trojan horse for this government's digital ID rollout.’
— katy 🌸 (@KatyKray73) July 29, 2025
YouTube is included on the banned list. Pornography remains accessible for this age group, despite the greater harm it may cause to children. 😏
pic.twitter.com/B3vllEETTP
YouTube has pushed back hard, claiming it is not a social media platform and warning that banning logged-in access would remove key protections for children. The company last week threatened a High Court challenge, claiming the move would “impermissibly fetter” political communication.
Wells is also expected to release new rules specifying which platforms can seek exemptions, including online gaming, messaging, and education services.
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