Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, has urged the government to deny YouTube an exemption from new child safety regulations, arguing that the platform exposes more children to harmful content than any other social media site. Research commissioned by the regulator found that 37% of children aged 10 to 15 reported seeing harmful content on YouTube, the highest rate among all platforms. Inman Grant wrote to the government last week to emphasize that no exemptions should be granted when the law comes into effect in December.
YouTube, however, has pushed back against the regulator’s stance. The company’s public policy manager for Australia and New Zealand, Rachel Lord, accused Inman Grant of providing inconsistent and contradictory advice, claiming it ignored the government’s own research which found 69% of parents consider YouTube suitable for users under 15. Lord argued that the regulator’s position discounting parental and teacher feedback undermines the credibility of the proposed rules. She wrote that Inman Grant’s focus on child safety should not overshadow the need to consider the platform’s educational and health benefits.
The dispute adds an element of uncertainty to the December rollout of the law, which is being closely watched by governments and tech leaders worldwide. It could make Australia the first country to introduce penalties for social media companies that fail to implement age restrictions. The centre-left Labor government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, had previously indicated that YouTube might be granted a waiver, given its use for educational and health content. However, other platforms such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok have argued that such an exemption would be unfair and set a precedent.
Inman Grant defended her position, stating that the safety of children should always take priority over political considerations or public opinion. A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells noted that the minister is reviewing the regulator’s advice and emphasized that her primary focus is on ensuring the draft rules effectively protect children from the harms of social media. The outcome of this regulatory battle could signal a broader shift in how governments regulate online content and the responsibilities of tech companies in safeguarding young users.