YouTube has announced it will begin locking out users under the age of 16 from their accounts in Australia, complying with a new national social media ban. The company called the move a "disappointing update" that it argues will not improve online safety, as per a recent report by Reuters.

The decision follows a standoff with the Australian government, which recently passed a law prohibiting platforms from allowing users under 16 to hold accounts, explains the report. Major platforms, including Meta's Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, have previously agreed to comply. The law carries potential fines of up to A$49.5 million for violations.

In a statement, YouTube stated that the law "will not fulfil its promise to make kids safer online and will, in fact, make Australian kids less safe on YouTube." The company argues that its parental control features only function when a child is signed into their account, adds the report.

From December 10, affected users will be automatically signed out. While they can still view content, they will lose the ability to log in, post videos, subscribe to channels, or like and comment. The platform did not specify how it will verify a user's age. According to Australia's eSafety Commissioner, YouTube has approximately 325,000 accounts held by Australians aged 13 to 15.

Communications Minister Anika Wells responded to YouTube's criticism, stating it was "weird" the company would highlight safety concerns about its own platform in a logged-out state. She said the issue was one YouTube needed to address.

The Australian ban is being closely monitored by other governments considering similar age-based restrictions on social media access.