eSafety’s advice ignores Australian families, teachers, broad community sentiment and the Government’s own decision

In 2024 a survey found that a staggering 84% of teachers in Australia use YouTube on at least a monthly basis in the classroom with the same number saying it helps students continue learning outside the classroom as well. Today, the eSafety commissioner chose to ignore this data, the decision of the Australian Government and other clear evidence from teachers and parents that YouTube is suitable for younger users by recommending the platform’s inclusion in Australia’s social media ban.

This recommendation is in direct contradiction to the government’s decision to exempt YouTube from the ban. The government’s own research confirmed there was ‘broad agreement that YouTube is suitable for younger users’. 85% of children and 68.5% of parents said YouTube was appropriate for those aged 15 years and under, in contrast to social media companies TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. YouTube is not a social media platform; it is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, and TV screens are increasingly the most popular place to watch.

The Social Media Minimum Age Act was considered and agreed to by the Australian Parliament under the understanding that YouTube would be exempt, and that young Australians would continue to have access to YouTube. eSafety’s advice goes against the Government’s own commitment, its own research on community sentiment, independent research, and the view of key stakeholders in this debate, including the 36 Months campaign that spurred this legislation. Today’s position from the eSafety Commissioner represents inconsistent and contradictory advice, having previously flagged concerns the ban “may limit young people’s access to critical support”.

We urge the Government to follow through on the public commitment it made to ensure young Australians can continue to access enriching content on YouTube.