YouTube Tightens the Screws: Live Streaming Restrictions Hit July 22

Google's video behemoth drops the hammer on creators—new live-streaming limits take effect next month.

Here's what's changing:

Starting July 22, YouTube implements stricter gatekeeping for live broadcasts. No warning shots fired—just sudden platform policy artillery hitting small channels hardest.

The move comes as parent company Alphabet continues prioritizing ad revenue over creator ecosystems. Because nothing says 'Web 3.0' like centralized platforms changing rules mid-game—take notes, crypto exchanges.

Stream at your own risk now. The algorithm giveth, and the algorithm taketh away.

Live streaming restriction: Minors must stream with adults

In its statement, YouTube said it now requires underage users to comply with the new age rules by streaming through an adult-managed account, or at least have an adult present during the livestream, if they are using their own accounts. 

“If you’re under 16 and WOULD like to participate in a livestream from an account owned by an adult, that adult must be visibly present in the livestream. You can give the adult access to your channel as an editor, manager or owner,” YouTube added. “This allows the adult to start the livestream from your account while still reaching your audience through your own channel.”

In tandem with the rule change, Google reiterated its safety guidelines for minors engaging with the platform’s live features. Children and teenagers are urged not to disclose personal information such as full name, age, address, or school. 

“Be careful about what’s in the background of your stream,” it advised. “Don’t show anything that could give away where you are, like your house number or a street sign outside your window.”

The company also asked users to appoint adults or guardians as moderators for chat interactions. 

“Consider designating a trusted adult as a moderator to help filter out unwanted chats. If anything like that happens, stop your stream immediately and tell a trusted adult straight away,” the help page read.

Australia, France pressure YouTube into policy change

Just two days before the new policy was announced, Australian lawmakers had started congressional discussions on whether YouTube should be added to the country’s incoming under-16 social media ban.

The 2024 legislation prevents anyone under the age of 16 from registering on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and X. YouTube was excluded from the list because of its purported role in education and child-friendly entertainment.

Last Tuesday, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, called for that exemption to include YouTube. In a letter to the government this month, Inman Grant cited a survey to make her case that YouTube is where children are likely to experience the most online harm. 

According to the research, of the 2,600 children aged 10 to 16 surveyed by the regulator, nearly 40% reported encountering harmful content on the platform.

Speaking in Canberra on June 24, Grant said YouTube’s algorithms were partly to blame. 

“These algorithms drive users down rabbit holes that they are powerless to fight against,” she said, bashing the company for reportedly downsizing its online safety teams.

Responding to the queries, YouTube-owner Google dismissed the commissioner’s findings, stating that the data “ignored” evidence from teachers and parents supporting the platform’s access for young users. 

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