Australia bans youth from YouTube

Australia will ban under-16s from accessing YouTube, reversing a previous exemption. This makes it the first democratic nation to restrict youth access to the platform. The decision follows concerns that 37% of minors reported harmful content on YouTube, exceeding other social media platforms. Prime Minister Albanese stated the government is siding with parents to protect children. This ban, effective December, extends to platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok. YouTube argues it is a video-sharing platform, not a social network, and disputes the classification.