Tech Giants Criticise YouTube Exemption from Australian Teen Social Media Ban

SYDNEY, March 5, 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Australia's decision to exempt YouTube from its pioneering ban on under-16s using social media has been described as "illogical" and a "mockery" by major tech companies, including Meta and TikTok, on Wednesday.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese introduced landmark legislation last year, aiming to prohibit social media use by children under 16 by the end of 2025. While platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram would face hefty fines for violating the rules, Australia has proposed a notable exemption allowing children to use YouTube for educational purposes.

Ella Woods-Joyce, TikTok's Australian policy director, criticised the move, accusing YouTube of receiving a "sweetheart deal" that grants it an unfair advantage over its rivals.

"Offering one major social media platform such a sweetheart deal, while imposing strict compliance obligations on every other platform in Australia, is illogical, anti-competitive, and short-sighted," Woods-Joyce said in a submission to the government, which was released on Wednesday. "The government’s arguments about YouTube’s unique educational value fail under even minimal scrutiny."

She further warned that this could further entrench Google's dominance in the market, as YouTube is owned by Google.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, echoed similar concerns in its own submission. "This proposed blanket exemption undermines the government’s declared intention to protect young people," Meta said. "YouTube has the very features and harmful content the government has pointed to as justifying the age ban."

Both companies argued that the video content available on their platforms is nearly identical to that on YouTube, making the exemption for YouTube appear unjustified.

Australia’s social media ban is one of the strictest in the world, with fines of up to AUD 50 million (approximately USD 31.3 million) for non-compliance. Countries like France and China have also considered similar measures, but Australia’s ban would be the most stringent.

Prime Minister Albanese has described social media as "a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators." However, questions remain on how the ban will be enforced effectively, with concerns about the practicalities of policing the legislation.

The ban is set to be implemented by December 2025.

Additional Information:

While the Australian government has expressed concerns about the adverse effects of social media on young people, this exemption for YouTube may spark further debates about fairness, market dominance, and the definition of educational content on digital platforms. Other countries, including the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, have started introducing measures to regulate children's access to social media, but the Australian law is expected to be the most aggressive in its scope.