Australia’s online safety chief is urging the Albanese government to rethink its decision to exempt YouTube from an upcoming ban on social media access for individuals under 16. The eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has raised strong concerns that the video-sharing platform, owned by Google, should be included in new regulations set to begin in December 2025. This position comes amid ongoing discussions about how online platforms will verify user ages and the effectiveness of current age verification technologies. The initial legislative framework, passed in December 2024, notably left out YouTube. This move surprised many, especially since the then communications minister, Michelle Rowland, had previously indicated it would be included.
Reports later revealed that YouTube’s global chief executive had personally lobbied Ms. Rowland shortly before the exemption was announced. This exception faced sharp criticism from other major social media platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, which called the decision “irrational” and “shortsighted.” In her recent advice to the current communications minister, Anika Wells, Commissioner Inman Grant stressed her belief that large online platforms were increasingly weakening their policies meant to reduce harm. She argued that the exemption for YouTube seemed inconsistent with the act’s main goal, given the platform’s known risks and its similarities to other regulated online services. The commissioner highlighted the lack of evidence showing that YouTube mainly provides positive experiences for children under 16. Ms. Rowland had previously defended YouTube’s exemption by saying it was one of the online services that helped young people access essential education and health support. However, Commissioner Inman Grant advised Minister Wells that this exemption did not align with the purpose of the social media minimum age obligation, which aims to lower the risk of harm.
Minister Wells had recently requested input from Commissioner Inman Grant regarding the rules surrounding the ban for those under 16. Ms. Wells’ office later shared the commissioner’s detailed recommendations before a significant speech at the National Press Club. Commissioner Inman Grant also warned that exempting any specific service could create enforcement difficulties. She noted the rapidly changing nature of technology and the shifting risk profiles of various platforms, suggesting that naming specific platforms in laws could quickly become outdated. She pointed out that YouTube’s features, such as infinite scroll, auto-play, and algorithm-based recommendations, are also found on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, highlighting the design elements the social media ban aimed to tackle. During her speech at the National Press Club, the eSafety Commissioner expressed serious concern about YouTube. She mentioned findings from an office survey of 2,600 children aged 10 to 15.
The survey showed that about seven out of ten children had encountered harmful content, including misogynistic or hateful material, dangerous online challenges, violent fight videos, and content that promotes disordered eating. Alarmingly, children reported that 75% of this harmful content was most recently found on social media, with YouTube being cited most frequently, accounting for nearly four in ten kids reporting exposure to such content there. The Commissioner’s worries were further intensified by a recent New York Times report, which claimed that YouTube had reversed its content moderation processes to keep more harmful content on its platform, even when it violated the company’s own policies. Commissioner Inman Grant also expressed concern about the broader trend of platforms weakening their trust and safety teams and reducing policies meant to lessen harm, making them more dangerous for children.
Beyond including YouTube, Commissioner Inman Grant also suggested major changes to the government’s rules to better address the intended harms. These recommendations included revising the ban’s wording and clearly listing design features such as endless content feeds, notifications, stories, and streaks, which can have a bigger impact on children. The original decision to exempt YouTube faced considerable backlash from other major social media companies. Ella Woods-Joyce, TikTok’s director of public policy in Australia and New Zealand, previously stated in a submission for a government consultation on the ban that “It is illogical to restrict two platforms while exempting the third,” comparing the situation to “banning the sale of soft drinks to minors but exempting Coca-Cola.” The growing chorus of voices, led by the eSafety Commissioner, indicates that the government may face increasing pressure to change its stance on YouTube’s inclusion in the upcoming social media ban.
