Australian minister’s 'Sweetheart Deal' for YouTube that angered TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and other platforms

YouTube got some help from an Australian minister to avoid the social media ban for teens in the country, which affected TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and other platforms, a report claims. According to documents obtained under freedom-of-information laws, Australian Communications Minister Michelle Rowland reportedly gave a personal guarantee to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan that the platform would be exempted from the under-16s social-media ban even before the official consultation process on the special immunity.
This exclusion of YouTube from the looming Australian restrictions has angered rivals, including Meta Platforms Inc. and Snapchat operator Snap Inc. Last month, TikTok described the exemption of Alphabet Inc.-owned YouTube as a “sweetheart deal” that was “illogical, anti-competitive and short-sighted.”
TikTok-parent ByteDance has argued that YouTube’s short-form videos are “virtually indistinguishable” from its own. Commenting on YouTube’s exclusion from Australia’s age-limit rules, the Chinese social media company said that it “would be akin to banning the sale of soft drinks to minors but exempting Coca-Cola.”

In a letter dated December 9, 2024 (seen by Bloomberg), written days after the bill passed parliament, Rowland said to Mohan that she was writing to “reaffirm the commitment” to exclude YouTube from the new law if her government was re-elected this year. This letter was sent months before the country’s general election on May 3.
Rowland's written assurance to Mohan preceded both her own draft rules outlining the YouTube exemption and a February 2025 discussion paper issued by her department that specifically sought feedback on this proposed exemption.
The letter also revealed Rowland's plan to meet with Mohan and other YouTube executives on December 13 to discuss YouTube's safety features and engagement on YouTube Shorts. It remains unclear from the freedom-of-information documents whether this meeting occurred.
A spokesman for Rowland stated that the December 9 letter was a response to a previous communication from YouTube's CEO but did not provide further details.
This new Australian law, set to take effect by the end of the year, imposes one of the strictest regulatory frameworks on digital platforms. Despite being the most popular online platform among local kids according to government data, YouTube is not subject to this regulation.
The law, passed in November 2024, faced objections from major social-media companies such as TikTok, X, and Meta during a Senate inquiry.
In addition, platforms will be held responsible for enforcing the age limit, facing penalties up to A$50 million ($32 million) for any breaches, though the method used to verify users’ age remains unclear.