Online video platform YouTube has announced a raft of changes set to take hold as it prepares to comply with the Australian government’s new Social Media Minimum Age Act.
From Dec. 10, age-restricted social media platforms will be required to prevent under-16s from registering accounts.
The eSafety Commissioner has identified Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, Twitch, X, YouTube, Kick, and Reddit as platforms that pose potential dangers to young people.
YouTube’s Australian public policy manager, Rachel Lord, penned a lengthy statement outlining what users can expect going forward.
Under the rules, users aged under 16 will be automatically signed out of YouTube, losing access to features such as subscriptions, playlists, and likes.
Young people will still be able to watch YouTube, but must remain signed out.
YouTube says such a setup would remove parents’ ability to supervise what their children view, as parental controls rely on a signed-in account.
Young creators will also lose their accounts, and their channels will no longer be viewable.
YouTube says youngsters will be granted access to their accounts again once they turn 16, with existing content kept stored within the account.
The company maintains that the social media ban will not make life safer for children.
“As the Social Media Minimum Age Act requires kids to use YouTube without an account, it removes the very parental controls and safety filters built to protect them—it will not make kids safer on our platform,” Lord said in a statement.
“These are the unfortunate consequences of a rushed legislative process that failed to allow for adequate consultation and consideration of the real complexities of online safety regulation.”
Lord said the law also “fundamentally misunderstands” why teenagers use the platform, describing YouTube as a video-streaming service where they watch and learn from tutorials, speeches, and podcasts.
“YouTube is a service where they come to watch and learn–everything from ‘how to tie a tie’ videos, to famous speeches, to newsmaking podcasts, to live concerts, to epic sports highlights,” she said.
She said the company would continue to work with the government to advocate for effective, evidence-based regulation that actually protects kids and teens, respects parental choice, and avoids unintended consequences.
“This is a disappointing update to share,” she said.
“We deeply care about the safety of kids and teens on our platform, it’s why we spent more than a decade building robust protections and parental controls that families rely on for a safer YouTube experience.”
According to the eSafety Commissioner, companies breaching government regulations could be fined as much as $49.5 million (US $32 million).
“The restrictions aim to protect young Australians from pressures and risks that users can be exposed to while logged in to social media accounts,” the Commissioner said.
“These come from design features that encourage them to spend more time on screens, while also serving up content that can harm their health and wellbeing.”
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