Australia has announced a sweeping new law banning children under 16 from accessing social media platforms, including YouTube.
The legislation, set to take effect in December, aims to protect young people from the dangers of addictive algorithms and online harm.
Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and now YouTube will be required to enforce strict age restrictions.
In response, YouTube will begin deploying artificial intelligence to estimate users’ ages by analysing account activity.
The move is part of a broader push by the Australian government to curb the negative influence of social media which is being branded as authoritarian.
