Daily London
From December 10, anyone with an account who is under 16 years of age will be signed out of their accounts, and will be barred from re-accessing them or from creating new accounts.
This means they will lose the ability to create content, to like and comment on videos, or to subscribe to other channels.
They will still have access to YouTube and be able to watch videos, and they can gain access to their accounts once they turn 16.
The company claims parents will also be unable to use parental controls, such as appropriate content settings or blocking certain channels.
Despite agreeing to comply, the company has criticised the new laws, arguing it will fail to protect children from risks online.
“This is a disappointing update to share,” Google and YouTube Australia Public Policy Senior Manager Rachel Lord said in a blog post.
“This law will not fulfill its promise to make kids safer online, and will, in fact, make Australian kids less safe on YouTube.”
Lord believes kids need to be protected whilst still being able to access social media, rather than being blocked entirely.
She also claimed the law removes important parental protections that keep kids safe.
“It removes the very parental controls and safety filters built to protect them, it will not make kids safer on our platform,” she said.
“These are the unfortunate consequences of a rushed legislative process that failed to allow for adequate consultation and consideration of the real complexities of online safety regulation.”
