PM Albanese confirms YouTube in social media ban

YouTube will be captured by Labor’s world‑leading social media ban for under 16s, the Albanese government has confirmed. The videostreaming giant was initially set to be exempt, with the Albanese government arguing it could be educational. But the online safety watchdog has since advised YouTube should be included, warning it causes the most harm to kids. It means that kids under 16 will still be able to access YouTube under their parents’ or an adult’s account but can’t create their own account. “Our government is making it clear – we stand on the side of families,” Anthony Albanese said in a joint statement with Communications Minister Anika Wells.