Cybersafety

Senator BABET (Victoria—United Australia Party Whip) (13:48): The government's sudden decision to include YouTube in its social media ban for under-16s is a textbook case of panic-driven policy, not principle. It's a backflip so hard and fast it should come with a neck brace. Make no mistake, this won't just cost them the youth vote; it'll cost them votes across the board, in my opinion. YouTube is a platform for learning, creativity and free expression—everything that the government should be supporting. By slapping a ban on YouTube for under-16s—which is what this is—this government is sending a clear message to young Australians: we don't trust you, we will decide what you are allowed to watch.

Everyone wants to protect kids online, but let's be honest, this isn't solely about protection; it's also about control. This ban triggers mandatory ID verification for all ages, and it opens the door to full-blown surveillance of every single Australian. Bureaucrats have no business micromanaging our digital lives, and parents should have the right to raise their own children and not have the government make these decisions for them.

This government's digital nanny state is growing by the day, but this ban is not going to make kids any safer; it is just going to make them more angry. When they are old enough to vote, they are going to remember which party treated them like chumps for daring to try and watch YouTube, of all things. This government has lost the plot, in my opinion, and it is about to lose an entire generation. But do you know what's funny? This government wants you to provide ID so that you can use YouTube, but it's not going to ask you for ID in order to vote. That's just a bit silly, right?