Australia said on Wednesday it will add YouTube to sites covered by its world-first ban on social media for teenagers, reversing an earlier decision to exempt the Alphabet-owned video-sharing site and potentially setting up a legal challenge.

According to a 2025 study by researchers at Cornell University and Columbia University, 40% of participating children showed addictive use of social media that distracted from important responsibilities like school work or chores. Furthermore, addictive screen use was linked to worse mental health and suicidal behavior.

YouTube will be included in Australia's world-first social media ban for children under 16, after the government ditched a previous exemption for the platform. The video sharing site was set to be excluded from the ban - which will limit TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, X and Snapchat and is due to start in December.