Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has released research supporting her recommendation to include YouTube in the country’s under-16 social media ban, while Australian content creators are actively lobbying to maintain the platform’s exemption from the ban, which takes effect in December 2025, per The Guardian. 

The survey Grant cites reveals YouTube is the most used platform among children under 16, with 76% of 10- to 15-year-olds reporting YouTube use.

The research also identifies YouTube as the primary source of harmful content exposure for younger users, with 37% of children who encountered potentially harmful content finding it on YouTube. Children aged 10-12 face even higher exposure rates at 46%, compared to 27% for those aged 13-15.

Creator Shannon Jones of “Bounce Patrol,” a channel with 33 million subscribers and 3 million monthly Australian views, has engaged directly with the communications department.

“YouTube is not social media,” Jones argues. “I care deeply about kids and their watching habits and their online digital experience.”

YouTube recently alerted creators that inclusion in the ban could “impact you, your channel, your audience and the broader creator community” and “affect how your work is valued and viewed.”

Rival Concerns

Meta, TikTok, and Snapchat previously challenged YouTube’s exemption, describing it as creating an uneven regulatory environment. TikTok’s Australia policy director called the situation “illogical,” comparing it to “banning the sale of soft drinks to minors but exempting Coca-Cola.”

These companies highlighted that YouTube ranks as the most popular service among children aged 13-15, with 73% of this demographic reporting YouTube use in 2024.

Access Without Login Possible

Inman Grant notes that children seeking educational content can access YouTube without logging in, though creators counter that this approach removes parental controls.

“There are a lot of tools that parents can use with their kids… they can set a content setting,” Jones says, adding that forcing children to log out would eliminate these safeguards.

The lobbying effort is expected to intensify before parliament’s winter break, with Google’s annual showcase scheduled for July 30 at Parliament House, potentially featuring creators advocating for continued exemption.

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