YouTube will be included in Australia's world-first social media ban for children 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.
YouTube, owned by Google, argued it shouldn't be blocked for under-16s as it "not a social media service" and its platform "offers benefit and value to younger Australians".
Under the ban, youth will still be able to view YouTube videos but will not be permitted to have an account, which is required for uploading content or interacting on the platform.
"Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told media on Wednesday.
