YouTube to raise minimum age for independent live streaming to 16

YouTube has announced it will raise the minimum age for independent live streaming from 13 to 16 years. The new policy, which was revealed this week, will come into effect on July 22, 2025.

The platform says the update is intended to provide better protection for younger users who broadcast live content.

The change means that creators aged between 13 and 15 will no longer be permitted to stream independently. Instead, they must have an adult visibly present during their livestreams or stream via an account managed by an adult.

YouTube specifies that the adult collaborator must hold an editor, manager or owner role on the channel in order to initiate and supervise the livestream.

According to YouTube, livestreams by minors that do not comply with the supervision rules risk having live chat disabled or the stream removed entirely.

“Repeated violations could result in a temporary loss of live streaming privileges,” the company said.

The platform also reiterates safety advice for younger users, warning them not to share personal details such as their full name, age, address or school during livestreams.

“Creators are also urged to avoid displaying identifiable locations in the background, such as house numbers or street signs.”

YouTube encourages the appointment of trusted adults as chat moderators to help filter out inappropriate comments and protect young streamers from harmful interactions.

This update will apply to users globally, including Kenyan content creators, who will be required to comply with the new guidelines if they wish to continue live streaming.

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