Australia’s new “under-16 social media ban” is about to hit.
YouTube says the plan is so rushed it might actually make kids less safe.
From 10 December, anyone under 16 gets kicked out of their YouTube account.
Kids can still watch videos — just not with an account. And that’s where YouTube says the danger lies.
Without accounts, teens lose parental controls, content filters and even simple tools like break reminders.
“Parents will lose their ability to supervise,” warns Rachel Lord, a senior policy manager at Google.
Communications Minister Anika Wells wasn’t having it.
She called YouTube’s warning “outright weird,” adding: “If YouTube is reminding us that it’s not safe… that’s a problem YouTube needs to fix.”
Apps Face Regulation
Meanwhile, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner is eyeing two fast-growing apps — Lemon8 and Yope.
Teens are rushing onto alternative platforms ahead of the ban.
Regulators say YouTube was included because it’s one of the top places where kids reported seeing harmful content.
The law demands platforms shut down under-16 accounts and block any workarounds, with fines up to A$49.5m.
Tech firms must also report every six months on how many kids they find on their apps.
The government insists this is about protecting “Generation Alpha” from algorithms acting like “behavioural cocaine.”
Whether this crackdown works? Well, that’s the question everyone’s asking — except the algorithms, of course.
