Google’s YouTube has announced a “disappointing update” for millions of Australian users and creators, confirming it will comply with the country’s world-first ban on social media access for under-16s by locking affected users out of their accounts within days.

The decision ends a dispute between Google and the Australian government, which had initially exempted YouTube due to its educational value. The company previously said it was seeking legal advice after being included in the law.

“Viewers must now be 16 or older to sign in to YouTube,” the platform said in a statement.

“This is a disappointing update to share. This law will not achieve its goal of making children safer online and will, in fact, make Australian kids less safe on YouTube.”

The Australian legislation, closely watched around the world, could set a global precedent for how major tech firms balance child safety with access to digital services. Authorities say the move follows growing evidence that social media companies are failing to adequately shield minors from harmful content.

Underage users to be signed out

YouTube said that from 10 December, anyone under 16 will automatically be signed out of their accounts and will no longer be able to subscribe, like or comment, though they can still watch videos while logged out. This also means underage creators will be unable to post new content. The company did not clarify how it plans to verify users’ ages.

In an email to parents and carers, YouTube reiterated its belief that the ban will not enhance safety, “Parental controls only work when your pre-teen or teen is signed in, so the settings you’ve chosen will no longer apply.”

Communications Minister Anika Wells told reporters in Canberra that it was “odd that YouTube keeps reminding us how unsafe their platform is when users are logged out.”

“If YouTube admits there’s inappropriate content for minors on its site, that’s a problem YouTube itself needs to fix,” she added.

The law prohibits under-16s from holding social media accounts and imposes penalties of up to A$49.5 million (£25.5 million) for violations. Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat have all agreed to comply, while Elon Musk’s X and Reddit have yet to commit publicly.

Wells acknowledged reports that lesser-known social apps are gaining traction among young users, saying the tech industry is “dynamic” and that the government’s list of covered platforms “will need to expand as different platforms receive migratory patterns.”

According to Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, YouTube has around 325,000 accounts belonging to users aged 13 to 15—behind Snapchat’s 440,000 and Instagram’s 350,000. The watchdog has also found that more than a third of Australians aged 10 to 15 have encountered harmful content on YouTube, the highest rate among major platforms.

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