Google: Prohibition Of Social Media For Teens Under 16 In Australia Impossible To Implement!

The Yotube app from Google is now affected by social media bans for 16-year-olds in Australia (photo: x @PandaChikun)

JAKARTA - Alphabet's tech giant parent from Google on Monday, October 13 stated that it would be "very difficult" for Australia to enforce a law prohibiting children under the age of 16 from using social media. Google also warns that the government's policy does not necessarily make children safer in cyberspace.

Governments and technology companies around the world are now observing Australia's move, which in December will be the first country to impose a ban on the use of social media for children under 16.

According to the provisions in the new law, social media platforms are not required to carry out age verification directly. Instead, they are asked to use artificial intelligence (AI) and user behavior data to reliably estimate age.

Dalam sidang parlemen mengenai aturan keselamanan online pada Senin, Manajer Senior Urusan Pemerintahan YouTube di Australia, Rachel Lord, mengatakan bahwa program pemerintah tersebut memang memiliki niat baik, namun berpotensi menimbulkan konsekuensi yang tidak diinginkan'.

"This regulation will not only be very difficult to implement, but also not fulfill its promise to make children safer in cyberspace," Lord said.

When asked if Google was lobbying officials in Washington to discuss this issue when Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets US President Donald Trump next week, Australia's Director of Government Affairs, Stef Lovett, said that his US counterparts were aware of the problems the company in Australia is facing.

In July 2025, the Australian government added YouTube to the list of sites covered by the law, having previously excluded due to its popularity among teachers. The decision was taken following complaints from other technology companies. Google argues that YouTube is a video sharing site, not a social media platform.

"A well-designed regulation can be an effective tool to strengthen industry efforts in maintaining the safety of children in cyberspace," Lord said. But the solution to keeping children safer is not to keep them away from the online world.

On the other hand, he continued, digital security tools and features must be used optimally to protect children, while parents are given greater control to monitor their children's online activities.

Australia, which is concerned about the impact of social media on the mental health of the younger generation, passed an Online Safety Amendment in November 2024. The law gives companies one year to comply, with a deadline of December 10, 2025 to deactivate underage user accounts.