[Editor’s Note: Tubefilter Charts is a weekly rankings column from Tubefilter with data provided by GospelStats. It’s exactly what it sounds like; a top number ranking of YouTube channels based on statistics collected within a given time frame. Check out all of our Tubefilter Charts with new installments every week right here.]
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In 2026, Jasmin and James have taken the title of Australia’s most-viewed couple on YouTube. The first full week of August, however, put a different Australian couple in the spotlight. Cadel and Mia hit #1 after getting 1.21 billion weekly views, making them one of five channels to get a ten-digit view count on YouTube this week. (Jasmin and James are also among that number).
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If you travel north from Australia, you’ll find another country that’s making an impact in the Global Top 50. Indonesia has long had a big presence on TikTok, but its YouTube game is getting stronger, too.
So, about those youth social media bans…
In 2026, the Indonesian government was supposed to get social media companies under control. Like in the rest of the world, Indonesia is battling an epidemic of kids and teens who are addicted to their screens and feeds, and a wholesale ban for under-16s — which officials in Jakarta put into effect in March — seemed to be the only solution.
Here’s the thing: In Indonesia, like in Australia and other countries that have restricted teen social media use, the new law doesn’t seem to be working as intended. Indonesian kids are still scrolling social media en masse, and the running order of our Global Top 50 proves it.
Indonesia isn’t merely represented in this week’s Global Top 50; it’s the third-most represented country, trailing only India and the United States. Five different Indonesian channels cracked the ranking, and they are certainly being watched by kids. After all, who else but a youngster would enjoy this brightly-colored candy video uploaded by merryclestari?
With 464.9 million weekly views, merryclestari finished 49th in the Global Top 50. Her compatriot Edwin Agung did even better. He counted 553.9 million weekly views to reach 35th place in the Global Top 50, and his content is just as kid-friendly as Merry’s. After all, they often collaborate with each other, starring in simple videos that tend to feature tasty food.
The idea that Indonesian kids and teens know how to use VPNs isn’t that shocking on its own, and there are members of the Indonesian diaspora who live in countries where YouTube access isn’t restricted. When two big creators collab, the results are usually stupendous — just ask Cadel and Mia.
But here’s the thing: Indonesia’s social media ban only seems to have made these creators more popular. Their native-language content shouldn’t move the needle too much outside of Indonesia (at least not to the degree that’s required to enter the Top 50), but it is peaking five months after the social media law went into effect.
Just look at merryclestari’s viewership graph. She peaked on YouTube right before the law went into effect, but she got even more views this week, when she achieved her highest weekly view count of the past six months.
Data via Gospel Stats
Clearly, something is very wrong with these social media bans. They seem to be little more than the Streisand effect in action. By attempting to ban social media, the Indonesian government has made it more desirable.
Other countries should pay attention and adjust as needed. Neighboring Malaysia, for example, is struggling to execute its social media ban, and that law hasn’t even gone into effect yet. As it turns out, keeping kids off of social media feeds is easier said than done. Edwin Agung is a master of disguise, and his VPN-loving fans may be taking after him.
Channel Distribution
Here’s a breakdown of the Top 50 Most Viewed channels this week in terms of their countries of origin:
- India: 18
- United States: 6
- Indonesia: 5
- Australia: 4
- Canada and Taiwan: 3
- Argentina, Bangladesh, Belgium, China, Germany, Japan, Peru, Russia, South Korea, and Vietnam: 1
This week, 43 channels in the Top 50 are primarily active on YouTube Shorts.
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