Australia bans YouTube for children under 16, joining TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat in age limits

Australia is going to ban children under 16 from creating YouTube accounts starting December, expanding its world-first social media restrictions. The ban, which already applies to TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter), now includes YouTube following recommendations from the eSafety Commissioner. Authorities argue that YouTube, despite being considered primarily a video platform, exposes children to harmful content and risks similar to traditional social media platforms.

Under the new rule, minors can still watch YouTube videos without an account but will lose features like personalised recommendations, posting content, and commenting.