SYDNEY, Australia: Australia's sweeping new restrictions on social media use by children are triggering an unexpected side effect: some of the country's biggest online creators say the policy may drive them out of the country altogether.

YouTube star Jordan Barclay, who built a US$50 million gaming-content empire and 23 million subscribers before age 24, now says he's considering leaving his Melbourne studio once the ban begins on December 10. Under the law, platforms must block accounts belonging to more than a million Australians under 16.

"We're going to move overseas because that's where the money is going to be," said Barclay, whose channels include EYstreem, Chip and Milo, and Firelight. "We can't afford to keep doing business if advertisers leave Australia."

Nine industry insiders interviewed by Reuters said they expect the new rules to damage Australia's influencer economy, worth an estimated A$9 billion ($5.82 billion, even if the precise financial hit is unclear. YouTubers, who earn 55 percent of ad revenue and up to 18 cents per 1,000 views, could be hurt most, said Griffith University researcher Susan Grantham.

"If it is one clean sweep and all these accounts disappear, then instantaneously, it's going to be detrimental to the influencer economy," Grantham said.

The law threatens heavy penalties, up to A$49.5 million for "systemic breaches," prompting brands to rethink campaigns aimed at teens. Even though young people will still be able to watch videos without accounts, creators fear the algorithm will stop pushing their content, reducing views and income. Promoted posts on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube may also lose value if follower counts drop.

Barclay said his company, Spawnpoint Media—which works with brands like Lego and Microsoft—has already seen a slowdown in sponsorship interest. "They're worried about what the ban could mean later," he said.

Some creators are already leaving. The influencer family behind Empire Family announced in October that they were relocating to Britain. Content featuring children is at particular risk, said Crystal Abidin of the Influencer Ethnography Research Lab. "They agree that in order to continue, it's an easy decision to immigrate," she said.

Children's entertainers Tina and Mark Harris, whose Lah-Lah channel has 1.4 million subscribers, said any financial hit "is going to hurt," but they are equally worried about stigma from the government's portrayal of YouTube as harmful for children.

Initially exempt from the ban, YouTube was added after Australia's internet regulator flagged that 37 percent of minors reported exposure to harmful content on the platform, more than on any other site. The decision "does a disservice" to those making high-quality content for kids, said Bounce Patrol's Shannon Jones, whose channel has over 33 million subscribers.

For large global creators like Junpei Zaki, the blow is manageable. He expects to lose 100,000 followers, a small fraction of his audience. But he fears it will sever ties with Australians who helped launch his career. "It … does feel like I'm ignoring my Australian audience," he said.

Smaller creators could suffer far more. In Sydney's west, 15-year-old TikTok and Instagram creator Dimi Heryxlim, who runs the House of Lim food stall, said losing his accounts "will be a bad thing," though he plans to restart once he turns 16.

"If I can't get my account back, I'll just get a new account and start everything from scratch," he said.