Australia's eSafety commissioner and YouTube are engaged in a public dispute over the platform's potential exemption from the upcoming social media ban for under-16s, set to take effect in December 2025.

The Australian government had initially proposed exempting the Alphabet-owned video platform due to its educational and health content. However, eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant recently reversed this position, citing research showing YouTube as the most frequently reported platform for harmful content among 10-15 year olds, with 37 per cent of children reporting exposure to such material.

Grant criticised YouTube's recommendation algorithms, stating they lead young users into "rabbit holes" of potentially harmful content. She emphasised there should be "no exemptions" when the legislation begins enforcement, according to Reuters reports.

"This isn't a fair fight when it comes to protecting our children from social media platforms," Inman Grant told the National Press Club in Sydney.

In response, YouTube published a blog post accusing the commissioner of providing "inconsistent and contradictory advice". The platform referenced government research indicating 69 per cent of parents consider YouTube appropriate for under-15s.

"The eSafety commissioner chose to disregard this data, the Australian government's decision, and clear evidence from teachers and parents about YouTube's suitability for younger users," wrote Rachel Lord, YouTube's public policy manager for Australia and New Zealand.

In November 2023, Australia passed landmark legislation prohibiting under-16s from using social media, establishing a global precedent for digital platform regulation.

The Social Media Minimum Age bill passed the Senate 34-19, requiring tech giants including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat and X to restrict underage access or face penalties up to 50 million Australian dollars.

Meta expressed concerns about the legislative process, with a spokesperson stating the rushed approach failed to properly consider existing age-appropriate measures, industry evidence and youth perspectives.

While the law applies to platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, YouTube's proposed exemption has drawn criticism from affected companies questioning the ban's fairness.

Following Australia's announcement, technology secretary Peter Kyle stated in November 2023 that a UK social media ban for under-16s could be "on the table" to protect young people online.

Speaking to the BBC, Kyle pledged to "do what it takes" to safeguard children, noting additional research would examine smartphones' and social media's impact on minors due to the lack of "firm, peer-reviewed evidence".

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