According to Reuters, YouTube has submitted a “letter of compliance” to the ministry, outlining steps it will take under the new rules.

“YouTube has also outlined plans to ‌deactivate ⁠these accounts (under 16) and will eliminate advertisements targeting children and teenagers in the future,” she said, as quoted by Reuters.

The move follows broader updates to YouTube’s guidelines, with multiple media reports noting that the platform will also cease targeted advertising for children.

Meanwhile, Danny Ardianto, Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy for YouTube in Asia Pacific, said the company “is in line with the commitment of the Indonesian ⁠government to continue supporting children’s protection”.

The development comes after Indonesia issued a reprimand to Google earlier this month, citing YouTube’s lack of cooperation with social media restrictions that took effect in March.

Minister Hafid said on Thursday (April 9) that YouTube had yet to meet the requirements of the new law or provide a clear compliance plan, according to CNA.

Under the regulation, Indonesia requires platforms it classifies as “high-risk” to deactivate accounts belonging to users under 16.

“There’s no other choice from the Indonesian government to tolerate them … and now we’re moving on to sanctions. And that sanction is a letter of reprimand,” Meutya said, as CNA reported.

YouTube is among the platforms designated as high-risk, alongside Roblox, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Threads, X, and Bigo Live.

Most recently, Roblox has also introduced new content and communication controls for users under 16 in Indonesia, as the platform moves to align with the country’s tightening rules on children’s access to social media.

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The API was introduced at YouTube’s 2026 NewFront event in New York and is designed to help commercial partners facilitate, manage, and scale creator-led campaigns. 

Fabulate also said that the integration is already live within its Discovery product.

Brands using the platform will gain access to expanded creator data, including audience demographics such as age, gender, and location, as well as performance metrics like engagement rates and average video view duration.

“We could not be more thrilled to be a partner of choice for YouTube in their new API program,” said Nathan Powell, chief product and strategy officer at Fabulate. 

He added, “We have always prided ourselves on Fabulate’s Discovery Product having the richest creator insights possible and this new program ensures that brands can pair with creators who are able to truly achieve the client’s brief.”

The partnership builds on Fabulate’s expansion in Asia-Pacific, including the opening of its Singapore office. 

Fabulate added that the new integration ensures brands on its platform have access to up-to-date YouTube creator data when planning and executing campaigns.

The YouTube partnership follows another recent integration by Fabulate, which in February embedded TikTok Symphony into its platform. 

The move introduced tools such as AI dubbing, video generation, and digital avatars directly into campaign workflows, allowing brands and creators to produce and adapt content across markets without leaving the system.

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The collaboration enables viewers to purchase products featured in YouTube videos directly from Rakuten Ichiba. 

By tapping the “View Products” button during a video, users can see product names and prices on-screen, then navigate to the Rakuten Ichiba product page while continuing to watch content. 

Ryo Matsumura, president of commerce & marketing company, Rakuten Group, said, “We are delighted to partner with Google to integrate YouTube’s creator economy within the Rakuten Ecosystem, starting with Rakuten Ichiba.”

The move is designed to streamline discovery and checkout, while expanding reach for merchants through creator-led content.

Matsumura continued, “We expect to provide our merchants with further business growth opportunities and deliver an even more enjoyable and convenient shopping experience to our users.”

The initiative integrates YouTube’s creator economy into the Rakuten Ecosystem, strengthening Rakuten’s push into v-commerce, an e-commerce model leveraging video, voice, and virtual reality. 

It also builds on existing affiliate initiatives such as Rakuten Affiliate and ROOM, supporting merchants in driving brand visibility and customer acquisition through creators.

Naomi Yamakawa, managing director of YouTube Japan at Google, added, “We are thrilled to partner with Rakuten Ichiba as our first domestic partner for the launch of the YouTube Shopping affiliate program in Japan.”

Regionally, YouTube is continuously growing its e-commerce initiatives with markets in Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam as part of its ongoing ‘Community Hub’ efforts. 

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The initiative was announced at the Safer with Google event, graced by Minister of State for Digital Development and Information, Madam Rahayu Mahzam, and is designed to better distinguish between younger users and adults, while delivering more age-appropriate online experiences for those under 18.

The move comes amid growing parental concern over online risks, including exposure to inappropriate content, highlighted in a Ministry of Digital Development and Information survey on digital parenting conducted in February 2025. 

Google’s age assurance approach uses machine learning to estimate a user’s age based on signals already linked to their account and automatically applies protections for users estimated to be under 18.

These age-appropriate experiences include disabling Timeline in Google Maps, preventing access to adult-restricted apps on Google Play, turning on SafeSearch by default in Search, and activating YouTube digital wellbeing tools such as reminders to take a break and time for bed, alongside safeguards to limit repetitive exposure to certain types of content. 

The rollout will cover products including Gemini, Google Maps, Play, Search, and YouTube.

Users estimated to be under 18 will be notified via email and while using Google products that their settings have changed, and will be guided on how to verify their age if needed. 

Adults who are incorrectly estimated to be under 18 will be able to correct their age through verification options such as uploading a government-issued ID or a selfie.

“Our children are growing up in a world where technology shapes the way they see and experience their surroundings. To help them stay safe online, our society, including the government, educators, industry, community organisations and families, must work together. I am encouraged by Google’s commitment to introducing solutions, such as age assurance technology across its products, which will be useful in helping our children harness the benefits of technology confidently and safely,” said Madam Rahayu Mahzam, minister of State for Digital Development and Information.

“Keeping kids and teens safe online is mission-critical. To further equip parents in this journey, we’re adding more proactive, built-in protections to complement the robust parental tools families already use. Our age assurance technology will estimate a user’s age and apply age-appropriate safeguards–from preventing access to adult-only apps to activating digital wellbeing tools. This isn’t just about giving parents more tools, it’s about our systems automatically providing an added layer of protection to ensure that every young person has age-appropriate experiences,” said Ben King, managing director of Google Singapore.

“We are committed to a collaborative approach, working with parents, governments, and NGOs, to ensure young people have both protection and access to the knowledge and tools they need to thrive,” he added.

The age assurance rollout complements Google’s existing family safety tools, including Family Link, supervised experiences on YouTube, and the Be Internet Awesome programme, which helps parents guide children to be safer and more confident online.

Google also announced the fourth edition of YouTube Creators for Impact, aimed at raising awareness of online harms and directing young people to support resources. 

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Announcing her new role, Nikki looked back on her time as a marketer, where she admittedly chased the ‘elusive viral moment’.

“I still remember the adrenaline of seeing our MILO “Energy Gap” campaign hit #1 on the YouTube Ads Leaderboard (in PH & also APAC)! But a LOT has changed in a decade,” narrated Nikki.

Commenting on her new role, she said, “I’m taking on this role at a time when the world feels more challenging. In the AI era, where creation is instant but attention is harder to win, “viral” is no longer the goal. What should always be the gold standard is impact.”

In the same LinkedIn post, Nikki described how her previous experience as part of Google’s Data and Insights team has marveled at what, for her, is ‘a masterclass in human behavior.’

“It gave me a front-row seat to the pulse of the Philippines – revealing not just what people watch, but how Filipino stories shape our culture and drive our economy. It became the blueprint that showed me the massive impact and potential of this platform,” she added.

Meanwhile, Nikki has held roles at Nestlé as a consumer marketing manager for MILO and a senior product manager for McDonald’s, before serving as its strategy and insights director in 2021. She entered Google in the same year and has served as the analytical consultant for CPG SEA.

She continued, “To our partners and creators: I’ve been on your side of the table, and I’ve seen the magic of what you can do. I can’t wait to see how we use the power of video with You(Tube 😉)!”

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Under the deal, the Oscars will be streamed live and free on YouTube worldwide, with US viewers also able to watch via YouTube TV. 

Coverage will include the red carpet, behind-the-scenes content, and the Governors Ball, alongside accessibility features such as closed captioning and audio tracks in multiple languages.

YouTube will also become the exclusive global platform for other Academy events and programmes, including the Governors Awards, nominations announcement, nominees luncheon, Student Academy Awards, Scientific and Technical Awards, filmmaker interviews, education initiatives and podcasts, all available through the Oscars YouTube channel.

As part of the partnership, Google Arts & Culture will work with the Academy to provide digital access to selected Academy Museum exhibitions and to help digitise elements of the Academy Collection, the world’s largest film-related archive with more than 52 million items.

“We are thrilled to enter into a multifaceted global partnership with YouTube to be the future home of the Oscars and our year-round Academy programming,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor. 

“The Academy is an international organisation, and this partnership will allow us to expand access to the work of the Academy to the largest worldwide audience possible—which will be beneficial for our Academy members and the film community,” they added. 

“The Oscars are one of our essential cultural institutions, honouring excellence in storytelling and artistry,” said YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. 

The Academy said its domestic broadcast agreement with Disney’s ABC will remain in place through the 100th Oscars in 2028, alongside its international partnership with Disney’s Buena Vista International.

Mohan elaborated, “Partnering with the Academy to bring this celebration of art and entertainment to viewers all over the world will inspire a new generation of creativity and film lovers while staying true to the Oscars’ storied legacy.”

“This collaboration will leverage YouTube’s vast reach and infuse the Oscars and other Academy programming with innovative opportunities for engagement while honouring our legacy. We will be able to celebrate cinema, inspire new generations of filmmakers and provide access to our film history on an unprecedented global scale,” Kramer and Taylor stressed. 

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Unveiled during Google Marketing Live Southeast Asia (GML SEA) in Singapore, the tools include Asset Studio, AI Max for Search, Ads in AI Overviews, AI Mode, YouTube Creator Partnerships Hub, and new agentic capabilities in Google Ads and Google Analytics.

Among the updates is ‘Ads in AI Overviews,’ part of Google’s broader AI integration in Search. AI Overviews is contributing to more commercial queries and a 10% increase in relevant search activity in key markets. Ads within this feature are expanding to desktop in the US, with further rollouts planned for mobile and desktop in English across the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia later this year.

‘Asset Studio’ is a new workspace in Google Ads that uses generative AI—including models like Imagen and Veo—to generate a wide range of creative assets. The tool is intended to streamline asset creation and testing at scale.

‘AI Max for Search’ leverages Google’s Gemini models to automatically match ads to relevant queries without relying on extensive keyword lists. Instead, it analyses websites and ad content to generate targeted headlines and placements.

Meanwhile, ‘AI Mode’ introduces a more advanced form of AI Search, supporting longer queries, follow-up questions, and multimodal inputs. Testing of integrated ads within AI Mode is expected to begin in the US, offering additional opportunities for advertisers in conversational contexts.

On the creator side, Google launched the ‘YouTube Creator Partnerships Hub,’ a tool that helps brands discover and collaborate with YouTube creators based on keyword, category, or trend. The hub is now live in Singapore and Indonesia, with other markets to follow.

Lastly, Google previewed agentic AI capabilities for Ads and Analytics. These features can generate, optimise, and maintain campaigns by analysing landing pages and performance data. In practice, this translates to automated keyword suggestions, creative adjustments, and instant insights—reducing manual work and enabling more strategic focus.

The announcements at GML SEA reflect Google’s broader push to move digital advertising from reactive to predictive, using AI to better align with changing consumer behaviours and fragmented customer journeys.

Sapna Chadha, vice president of Google Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier, said, “For years, we’ve been at the forefront of AI-driven advertising. As consumer journeys become more complex—and resources more limited—we’re equipping marketers with our most advanced models yet: more intelligent, more agentic, and more personalised. That means faster creativity, wider reach, sharper insights, and better results.”

“At today’s Google Marketing Live, we introduced new AI tools that span the entire marketing journey—from creative to performance, brand discovery, and agentic capabilities—and showcased how brands in Southeast Asia are already unlocking real value with AI,” she added.

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Ipsos’ findings reflect the reliability of Google and YouTube, helping consumers make informed decisions through content.

According to the study, Google and YouTube are both present in 75% of consumer journeys where Filipinos discover new brands and products.

Google Search and YouTube allow brands and businesses to achieve growth, turning discovery into actual purchases. Leading businesses in the Philippines have leveraged the platforms to identify high-intent search queries and tailor advertisements according to customer behaviour and preferences.

YouTube also allows brands to create video campaigns that resonate with audiences.

Ipsos, a leading market research company, launched its online platform Ipsos.Digital in the Asia-Pacific region in 2022 to boost its capabilities and insights.

Recent reports in the Philippines have also found that Filipinos find free shipping an important consideration when online shopping. Meanwhile, Filipinos are increasingly shifting to online communities from traditional ones.

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As a YouTube Partner Sales program partner, AnyMind Group can offer reserved advertising inventory on content produced by AnyMind-affiliated creators and channels. The move provides advertisers with more options, and affiliated creators to increase their earnings.

The program offers programmatic guaranteed ad buys and a full ‘share of voice reservations,’ which enables a single advertiser to dominate placements on a creator’s video views. 

The reserved inventory grants a higher priority compared to auctioned ad inventory from the Display & Video 360 platform.

Additionally, AnyMind is launching advertising packages for entertainment, sports, lifestyle, and news, enabling contextual targeting.

Online publishers who use AnyManager can also generate new revenue streams through the program. 

Punsak Limvatanayingyong, managing director of creator growth at AnyMind Group, said, “True to our philosophy of ‘Growth for Everyone,’ this program undoubtedly benefits our advertisers, creators and even publishers by unlocking more powerful outcomes through collaboration with us. Due to our unique business model, we’re one of the few companies that can provide deep accessibility into the advertising ecosystem.”

“This partnership comes at a right time as we have recently launched a new feature on AnyManager that enables publishers to automatically create short-form videos from published articles with the use of AI. As part of our growth plans this year, we can now provide direct access to a larger scale of video ad inventory across APAC and the Middle East to our clients, including our partnered creators on YouTube,” Siddharth Kelkar, managing director of India/MENA and performance business at AnyMind Group, commented.

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Egregious clickbait refers to video titles or thumbnails that make promises or claims not fulfilled within the video itself, particularly when the content pertains to breaking news or current events.

Examples of egregious clickbait include a video titled ‘The president resigned!’ that doesn’t mention the resignation or a thumbnail labelled ‘Top political news’ with no news content. Such tactics can mislead viewers, leaving them frustrated, especially when seeking timely or important information.

To tackle the issue, YouTube announced plans to ramp up enforcement against videos with titles or thumbnails that make unfulfilled promises. This is particularly crucial for content covering breaking news or current events, ensuring viewers are not misled by what they watch on the platform.

Launching in India over the coming months, this initiative gives creators time to adapt to the updated enforcement policies. YouTube will initially remove violating content without issuing strikes and will focus enforcement on new video uploads as it continues to educate creators.

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