The Australian government has now added YouTube to its ‘under-16 social media ban’.

According to media reports, the ban on YouTube was announced on July 29, 2025. According to the government’s position, 37% of young users themselves encounter harmful content on YouTube, on which the government has removed it from the pre-determined exemption and added it to the banned social media platforms.

Under the ban, children under the age of 16 will now be prohibited from creating a YouTube account. The ban is expected to start from December 10, 2025, when the law will come into full force.

The ban is not only on platforms like Meta or TikTok, but also on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X and YouTube.

In addition, if YouTube does not make appropriate arrangements for age verification, it could be fined up to 49.5 million Australian dollars.

However, it should be noted that platforms such as WhatsApp, Google Classroom, YouTube Kids, Messenger Kids, and health and education services are exempt from the ban.