SYDNEY. The Australian government announced it will include YouTube in its upcoming social media ban for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the video-sharing platform owned by Alphabet.
The change follows a recommendation last month by Australia’s internet watchdog, which reported that 37% of children aged 10 to 15 had encountered harmful content on YouTube — the highest among all platforms studied.
Previously, YouTube had been excluded from the ban, prompting objections from other companies such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, who argued that exempting YouTube would create an uneven playing field.
“Social media has a social responsibility, and there is no doubt that Australian kids are being negatively impacted by online platforms, so I’m calling time on it,” said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a statement. “Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs.”
Under the law passed in November, social media companies will face fines of up to A$49.5 million (US$32.2 million) starting this December if they fail to comply.
A YouTube spokesperson responded, “We share the government’s goal of addressing and reducing online harms. Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video-sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It’s not social media.”
Meanwhile, the government clarified that online gaming platforms, messaging apps, and health and education websites will not be covered by the new rules, as these services pose fewer risks or fall under separate regulations.
“These rules are not a set-and-forget,” said Communications Minister Anika Wells. “They are a set-and-support.”
Paraluman P. Funtanilla
Paraluman P. Funtanilla is Tutubi News Magazine's Marketing Specialist and is a Contributing Editor. She finished her degree in Communication Arts in De La Salle Lipa. She has worked as a Digital Marketer for start-up businesses and small business spaces for the past two years. She has earned certificates from Coursera on Brand Management: Aligning Business Brand and Behavior and Viral Marketing and How to Craft Contagious Content. She also worked with Asia Express Romania TV Show.
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
- Paraluman P. Funtanilla
