Why banning YouTube for kids under 16 could harm learning and curiosity

Courier-Mail

6 days ago

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In December this year, Australia will roll out a world-first law: kids under 16 will no longer be able to have accounts on social media. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X - all of them.
And, in a late decision, YouTube has now been added to that list.
The government says the aim is simple: stop social media companies from using persuasive design that harms young people. The eSafety Commissioner advised that YouTube's recommendation algorithms can be just as problematic as other platforms.
From December 10, kids under 16 will still be able to watch videos, but they won't be able to have an account. No playlists. No subscriptions. No comment sections. Platforms that fail to enforce this risk huge fines.
It's an ambitious, well-intentioned plan. But as a mum of four, it leaves me with mixed feelings.
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The Albanese government has confirmed YouTube will be captured by its social media ban. Picture: Getty
I get it. I live it.
We have four kids ranging from primary school to early twenties. I absolutely get why screen time is on everyone's mind - because we live it, every day.
I've done the nightly wrestle with phones at bedtime. I've had the conversations about boundaries and balance until I'm hoarse. I've even had a Monopoly board flipped mid-game when we asked a teen to put down their phone and focus on family time.
Screens can be a battle. And yes, social media can be toxic. I'm not dismissing that for a second.
But I also know, from watching my youngest, that not all screen time is the same.
The 11-year-old who just wants dinosaurs
My youngest is 11 and - like a lot of kids - curious about everything. He's school captain, plays basketball twice a week, has a good crew of friends, and spends hours sketching.
And he has one big, unshakable love: dinosaurs.
YouTube is where that passion has come to life.
He watches documentaries, listens to palaeontologists, learns how to draw. He has a playlist of videos that show how to sketch, another with guitar tutorials because he's teaching himself a song.
For him, YouTube is less 'doom scroll' and more 'open university for kids'.
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I'm scared the YouTube ban will crush my son's curiosity. Image: Supplied
Why I'm nervous about the ban
I understand why the government is acting. We've all seen how endless scrolling and online bullying can take a toll.
But here's where it gets complicated:
YouTube is not the same as TikTok or Snapchat.
The law treats them as though they are. But for a lot of kids, YouTube isn't a social hangout. It's a resource.
When the ban arrives, kids will still be able to watch videos - but not logged in. That means no playlists, no history, no way to follow trusted creators.
It sounds small, but it's not. Those account features are what make YouTube feel like a curated, safe learning space rather than a random jumble.
Taking them away makes it harder for kids to follow their passions online in a guided way.
I'm not saying there's an easy answer
Parenting in 2025 is a balancing act. None of us want kids glued to screens. We want them outside, talking to friends, building resilience away from a device.
And this new law might genuinely help some kids who are struggling.
But there's another side to that story: children who use YouTube in a way that helps them thrive. Kids like mine, who aren't chasing likes or validation - they're chasing answers to questions about fossils and guitar chords.
A blanket ban risks helping some while cutting off something valuable for others.
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Could we try a middle ground?
Instead of locking kids out completely, imagine if platforms like YouTube offered a middle lane:
Verified kids' accounts with no ads, no comments, and a limited feed. Playlists that parents can build and lock in. Curated recommendations that come from teachers, libraries and museums rather than an algorithm.
That would keep the wonder and remove a lot of the risk.
Protecting curiosity as well as safety
As a mum, I want what every parent wants: safe, happy kids.
I also want them to stay curious. To fall down a rabbit hole of discovery that starts with a dinosaur fossil and ends with a lecture by a real-life palaeontologist.
For my 11-year-old, that's what YouTube has been. And while I can live without him having Snapchat or TikTok, it's hard not to feel a pang knowing that one of his favourite learning tools will become that much harder to use.
This new law might achieve a lot of good. I just hope that when we measure its success, we also look at what it takes away.
Because if there's one thing I've learned from raising four kids, it's that curiosity doesn't disappear with a ban. It just looks for another way to grow.
Originally published as Why I'm scared the YouTube ban will crush my son's curiosity