Australia’s Social Media Ban for Under-16s: A Wake-Up Call for Sports Rights Holders

Australia is about to do something remarkable: from 10 December, children under 16 will effectively be banned from using social media platforms.

As a parent, I think this is an important step. As someone working in sports and streaming, I think it’s a seismic one.

And yes, the irony of posting this on social media isn’t lost on me.

The Assumption That Gen Z and Gen Alpha “Live on YouTube” Is About to Be Tested

For years we’ve been told that the future of audience engagement, especially for young fans, lives on platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

Sports organisations have poured time, talent and budget into building huge followings on these platforms, often encouraged by the idea that YouTube is “the new free-to-air broadcaster”.

But regulations like Australia’s could change that overnight.

If more countries adopt similar frameworks (and I think they will), sports properties who rely heavily on third-party platforms for reach could suddenly find their youngest audiences cut off, not because of algorithm changes or rights disputes, but because governments have rewritten the rulebook.

This Raises a Hard Truth

If you build your entire youth strategy on someone else’s platform, you’re ultimately exposed to someone else’s decisions.

Platforms can change their policies.

Governments can change the law.

And when the house doesn’t belong to you, you don’t get much say in the renovations.

A Turning Point: Regulation, Responsibility and the Return of Owned Platforms

I think this marks the beginning of a new era: an era of digital regulation, where protecting children online becomes a political, societal, and technological priority.

For sports rights holders, it means rethinking long-term distribution strategy:

• Owned and operated platforms matter more than ever. If you control it, nobody can take it away.
• Hybrid distribution will become the norm. Use social platforms for reach, but don’t rely on them exclusively.
• Content strategies for young fans need to prepare for a world where social access is restricted.
• First-party data becomes essential - and you don’t get that from YouTube.

Why Australia Might Be the First, but Not the Last

Australia tends to be an early mover on digital safety - and historically, where Australia goes, the UK often follows.

If similar rules appear in Europe, North America or the UK, sports organisations that haven’t diversified away from social-only strategies may face a sudden, sharp gap in their ability to reach under-16s.

The Opportunity

This isn’t the end of youth engagement. It’s the beginning of a smarter, more resilient one.

Sports organisations that invest now in:

• scalable OTT platforms
• safe environments for young fans
• direct-to-consumer video
• data ownership
• age-appropriate digital ecosystems

…will be the ones who thrive in a world where regulation becomes the norm rather than the exception.

Final Thought

Australia is leading the way - and whether you agree with the policy or not, it sends a clear message:

The era of unregulated youth access to social media is ending. The era of owned, secure, compliant digital platforms is beginning.

For sports rights holders, now is the time to prepare.

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