Google is shaking things up on YouTube again, and this time it’s targeting teen livestreamers. Starting July 22, users will need to be at least 16 years old to livestream on the platform. It’s a pretty massive shift in policy, and it raises some questions about the future of young creators on YouTube.
Previously, users as young as 13 could stream, provided they followed certain guidelines. But now, anyone under 16 is being cut off from livestreaming altogether. That means no more solo streams from 13 to 15-year-olds, even if they’ve been following the rules.
But it doesn’t stop there. Even if a 13 to 15-year-old shows up on a livestream, YouTube is putting restrictions in place. If they’re not clearly accompanied by an adult, live chat may be disabled automatically. And if creators push the limits, they risk losing live chat features or even access to livestreaming entirely for a period of time.
And Google isn’t being vague about what’s coming next. In the future, it plans to go even further by taking down livestreams that violate this new policy. If that happens, the offending account may lose livestreaming privileges altogether.
The changes reflect growing concerns around online safety, especially when it comes to minors. YouTube has faced criticism in the past for how it handles child safety, and this move suggests the company is trying to get ahead of future issues before regulators force its hand.
While some young creators might be frustrated, it’s likely this is just the beginning of more sweeping changes aimed at better protecting kids on the platform.
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