Google warns Australia’s under-16 social media man 'extremely difficult' to enforce

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Alphabet-owned Google on Monday warned that Australia’s landmark plan to bar people under 16 from using social media would be "extremely difficult" to enforce, echoing earlier concerns from tech firms that the law is unworkable and may not make children safer online.

Australia is set to become the first country to ban social media use by under-16s when its Online Safety Amendment takes effect in December. 

The law requires platforms to use artificial intelligence and behavioural data to infer users' ages, rather than conduct formal age verification.

At a parliamentary hearing, YouTube's senior government affairs manager in Australia, Rachel Lord, said while the programme was "well-intentioned," it risked "unintended consequences."

"The legislation will not only be extremely difficult to enforce, it also does not fulfil its promise of making kids safer online," Lord told lawmakers, according to Reuters.

YouTube was added to the list of covered platforms in July, reversing an earlier exemption after rival tech firms complained. Google maintains YouTube is a video-sharing site, not a social media platform.

Lord said effective child protection required empowering parents and improving online safety tools rather than blocking access altogether.

"Well-crafted legislation can help build on industry efforts," she said. "But the solution to keeping kids safer online is not stopping them from being online."

Australia passed the online safety law last November, giving companies until December 10 this year to comply or deactivate underage accounts.