Under-16 YouTube ban Australia: parental controls that still work
Updated
YouTube is age-restricted in Australia from 10 December 2025: platforms must take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from creating or keeping accounts. YouTube Kids is not currently age-restricted in eSafety's assessment. These are account restrictions, so distinguish an account from the videos your family wants to watch. Source: eSafety restrictions; platform assessments.
What the restrictions mean for parents
eSafety says there are no penalties for under-16s who access an age-restricted platform, or for parents and carers. The duty to take reasonable steps sits with platforms. Source: eSafety.
The eSafety FAQ lists YouTube among age-restricted services and YouTube Kids among services it considers not age-restricted. Those assessments may change as services evolve.
Viewing controls you can manage
YouTube Kids lets parents handpick content, but still allows limited paid ads. Source: YouTube Kids parent information. Kivvie offers a separate parent-controlled viewing space where children do not need YouTube accounts.
Read our under-16 YouTube account restrictions guide and algorithm opt-out explainer for related background.
How Kivvie's parent-approved list works
- Create a child profile in the parent dashboard.
- Choose channels for that child. The library starts empty.
- Connect the child app and check the viewing library.
- Review new uploads and remove channels when they no longer fit.
Videos play ad-free in Kivvie. The child player has no Shorts feed, comments, open YouTube search or standard recommendation feed. Children do not create YouTube accounts, post content or message other users inside Kivvie. Selecting a channel is your choice about viewing, not a guarantee about every future upload.
Follow the setup guide and channel selection guide. Compare supervised accounts and ad-free viewing options.
Frequently asked questions
When did YouTube become age-restricted in Australia?
From 10 December 2025, YouTube and other age-restricted platforms must take reasonable steps to prevent Australians under 16 from creating or keeping accounts. Source: eSafety.
Is YouTube Kids age-restricted?
eSafety lists YouTube Kids among services it considers not age-restricted. Its platform assessments can change as services change. Source: eSafety platform list.
Are children or parents fined under the restrictions?
No. eSafety says there are no penalties for under-16s who access an age-restricted platform, or for their parents or carers. The obligations apply to platforms. Source: eSafety.
Does my child need a YouTube account for Kivvie?
No. The parent manages Kivvie and chooses channels for each child. Children do not create YouTube accounts, post, message other users or comment inside Kivvie. Videos play ad-free, without the standard YouTube recommendation feed.