Starting July 22, 2025, YouTube is raising the minimum age for users to be able to live stream. From now on, only those who are 16 years old or older will be able to broadcast independently. Previously, this limit was 13 years old, subject to additional requirements.
Users aged 13 to 15 will still be able to appear on live streams, but only if they are accompanied by an adult. If an adult co-host is not present, chat may be disabled or the stream may be deleted altogether.
If a teenager wants to broadcast from their own channel, this will only be possible if there is an adult channel manager who will start the broadcast via the Live Control Room and be present in the frame.
These changes are part of YouTube's policy on child safety, which also includes parental controls and content restrictions for Made for Kids audiences. The company also emphasizes the importance of privacy for teens, including advising against disclosing personal information during broadcasts and recommending using moderation features to control chat.
The new requirements will make it harder for young creators to build an audience, but the platform emphasizes the priority of online safety.