‘It Won’t Make Kids Safer’: YouTube Warns Against Australia’s New Under-16 Social Media Rules

YouTube says new age rules will force young people off signed-in accounts, removing parental controls and wiping young creators’ channels until they turn 16.

Bianca Navarro, 10, watches YouTube at home in western Sydney on Oct. 30, 2025. David GRAY/AFP via Getty Images

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.