Australian Teens Locked Out of YouTube

YouTube has announced that it will adhere to Australia's newly implemented regulation that prohibits social media accounts for individuals younger than 16. As a result, accounts affected by this law will be inaccessible starting December 10.

The Alphabet-owned platform expressed disappointment over the mandate but confirmed that compliance is mandatory. Once signed out, users under 16 will lose the ability to like videos, subscribe to channels, manage private playlists, or participate in memberships.

Young creators will also be impacted, losing access to their channels, including uploaded content, comments, and monetization features. YouTube advised users to download their data in advance, assuring that their content will remain intact once they reach 16 years of age.

Google has cautioned that the regulation might have unintended consequences. A senior executive noted that the law may misinterpret how teenagers engage with the platform and could potentially reduce their safety. Additionally, parents will be unable to oversee accounts effectively, as parental controls function only when users are signed in.

The legislation imposes fines up to A$49.5 million for non-compliance and applies to all major social media platforms operating in Australia.

Author: Connor Blake