• YouTube will comply with Australia's new social media ban for users under 16, starting December 10.
• The platform argues that the ban will make kids "less safe" by stripping away parental controls.
• The Australian Communications Minister finds it "weird" that YouTube highlights safety risks on their platform.
• Fines of up to A$49.5 million can be imposed on platforms that do not comply with the law.
• Australia's action may set a global precedent for online child safety regulations.

Google's YouTube has announced it will comply with Australia's groundbreaking social media ban, which mandates that users under the age of 16 will be locked out from their accounts starting December 10. This decision marks the end of a dispute between YouTube and the Australian government, which had initially exempted the platform due to its educational uses. YouTube expressed that this law could potentially make Australian children "less safe" online, as it underscores the inadequacies of existing regulations meant to protect kids from harmful content, according to Reuters and BBC.

YouTube stated that from December 10, users under 16 will automatically be signed out of their accounts, meaning they cannot subscribe, comment, or like videos, but can still view content without being logged in. The service noted that this change removes important parental control features that currently allow caregivers to manage what their children see online. The Australian government argues that this legislation is crucial since many reports indicated that children were frequently exposed to harmful content on YouTube, the highest among its competitors, as highlighted by India Times and Reuters.

Communications Minister Anika Wells responded to YouTube's concerns by pointing out the irony in their warnings about safety risks when children are logged out of the platform. Wells said, "If YouTube is reminding us all that it is not safe and there's content not appropriate for age-restricted users on their website, that's a problem that YouTube needs to fix," emphasizing the need for stricter accountability from tech companies to ensure child safety, according to BBC and India Times.

Other major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat have agreed to comply with the new laws. However, only X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit have not committed to the new regulations. Under the law, fines of up to A$49.5 million will be imposed for non-compliance, which could have significant implications for social media regulation worldwide, as mentioned by Reuters and India Times.