Alphabet-owned Google has cautioned that Australia’s forthcoming law banning individuals under 16 from using social media will be “extremely difficult” to enforce, arguing that the policy may not achieve its goal of keeping children safer online. The legislation, set to take effect in December, will make Australia the first country to prohibit under-16s from accessing social platforms, though companies are not required to conduct formal age verification. Instead, they are expected to rely on artificial intelligence and behavioural data to infer users’ ages.
Speaking before a parliamentary hearing on online safety, Rachel Lord, YouTube’s Senior Manager for Government Affairs in Australia, said that while the government’s intentions were commendable, the initiative risked producing “unintended consequences.” She noted that the law “does not fulfil its promise of making kids safer online,” warning that enforcement challenges could undermine its effectiveness.
Google Australia’s Government Affairs Director, Stef Lovett, confirmed that the company’s U.S. counterparts were aware of the regulatory challenges and were monitoring developments ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s scheduled meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. Australia had in July expanded the legislation to include YouTube, reversing an earlier exemption following complaints from other tech firms. Google, however, maintains that YouTube is primarily a video-sharing platform, not a social media site.
Lord emphasized that while “well-crafted legislation” can enhance online safety, banning young users from social media is not the ideal solution. She urged the government to focus instead on strengthening parental control tools and empowering families to manage children’s digital experiences responsibly. The law, passed in November 2024, gives companies until December 10 to deactivate the accounts of underage users