Australia’s online safety watchdog has advised against exempting YouTube from a proposed ban on social media access for children under the age of 16, arguing the platform exposes young users to harmful content. The recommendation from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant puts the video-streaming giant at odds with the federal government’s earlier proposal, which would have given YouTube a carve-out from the legislation. YouTube, for its part, is urging the government to uphold the draft exemption. Why Was YouTube Initially Set for Exemption? When the federal government introduced the legi

Australia’s online safety watchdog has advised against exempting YouTube from a proposed ban on social media access for children under the age of 16, arguing the platform exposes young users to harmful content. The recommendation from eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant puts the video-streaming giant at odds with the federal government’s earlier proposal, which would have given YouTube a carve-out from the legislation. YouTube, for its part, is urging the government to uphold the draft exemption.

Why Was YouTube Initially Set for Exemption?

When the federal government introduced the legislation in November 2023 to prevent under-16s from accessing social media platforms, then Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said YouTube would be exempt. She argued that the platform served a "significant purpose" in delivering education and health-related content to young people. However, as revealed by

Guardian Australia

in April, this exemption was announced less than 48 hours after YouTube’s global CEO directly lobbied the minister. The move caught rival platforms, including Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat, off guard. TikTok, which offers similar short-form video content, labelled it a “sweetheart deal,” insisting YouTube should be treated like any other social platform.

Why Has the eSafety Commissioner Recommended a Ban?

Under the legislation, the communications minister must consult with the eSafety Commissioner to determine which platforms fall under the ban. Inman Grant’s latest advice, released on Monday, cites new findings from a national youth survey showing 76% of 10 to 15-year-olds had used YouTube. Of those who encountered potentially harmful content online, 37% said it occurred on YouTube. The commissioner also referenced a report from the Black Dog Institute linking high daily YouTube usage to elevated levels of depression, anxiety, and insomnia in young people. “YouTube currently employs persuasive design features and functionality that may be associated with harms to health,” Inman Grant said, pointing to infinite scroll, auto-play, and algorithmically tailored content feeds. She concluded there was insufficient evidence that YouTube provides primarily positive experiences for under-16s. However, Inman Grant clarified that the legislation only prevents children from holding accounts. Children will still be able to access content on YouTube while logged out.

YouTube’s Response

In a statement released after the commissioner’s advice was made public, YouTube’s Australia and New Zealand head of public policy, Rachel Lord, said the government’s original commitment was clear and the current recommendation “goes against” that position. She also pointed to community research suggesting “broad agreement” that YouTube is suitable for young users. YouTube said it had spent over a decade developing age-appropriate products. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, it removed nearly 193,000 videos for violating hate and abuse policies—an increase of 22% year-on-year. The company maintains it is primarily a content distribution and hosting service, not a social platform facilitating direct interaction. It cited a survey of Australian teachers, 84% of whom reported using YouTube monthly to aid student learning. YouTube also suggested the reversal of its exemption status may stem from lobbying efforts by its competitors.

YouTube Kids: The Winning Card for YouTube

YouTube has a dedicated platform—

YouTube Kids

—designed specifically for young audiences. This version disables content uploads and commenting for underage users. However, YouTube has not sought a carve-out specifically for the Kids version of the platform. When asked about platforms like YouTube Kids at the National Press Club on Tuesday, Inman Grant said she couldn’t provide a definitive answer on possible exemptions until the final rules are drafted.

What Follows?

Communications Minister Anika Wells will make the final determination on platform exemptions in the coming months. A government trial on age-assurance technologies—intended to verify the ages of users—is set to report back by the end of July. Its findings will inform which tools platforms must implement to keep under-16s off their services. The ban is scheduled to take effect in early December.

A little more informed. A little more connected.