Australia’s social media ban for kids won’t make them safer online: YouTube
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YouTube has criticised Australia’s upcoming law that will ban children under 16 from using social media, warning that the move, while “well intentioned,” will not achieve its goal of making young users safer online.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the landmark legislation last year, with the ban expected to take effect by the end of 2025.
Major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok will face heavy fines for failing to comply.
YouTube, which is also covered under the ban, argued that it should not be classified as a social media platform. The company’s local spokeswoman, Rachel Lord, told a Senate committee that the legislation could have “unintended consequences.”
She said that the legislation would not only be extremely difficult to enforce but also failed to fulfil its promise of making children safer online. She added that while well-crafted legislation could help build on industry efforts to protect children and teens, preventing them from being online was not the right solution. Lord further stated that YouTube should be excluded from the legislation since it was not a social media service.
Australia has been at the forefront of global efforts to combat online harm. However, the current proposal offers little clarity on how the ban will be enforced in practice.
The government has stated that social media platforms will not be required to verify every user’s age but must take “reasonable steps” to identify and remove underage users.
The country’s eSafety Commissioner will have the authority to fine companies up to A$49.5 million (US$32 million) for non-compliance.
Some experts have questioned whether the proposed law will be more symbolic than effective. Several social media companies have described the legislation as “vague,” “problematic,” and “rushed.”
While the Australian government defends the measure as necessary to protect children, critics — including YouTube — warn that it risks creating more challenges than it solves.