YouTube joins list of platforms banned for children under 16 in Australia
YouTube was earlier excluded from the ban, citing the benefits and values it offers to younger Australians. The move comes a month after Australia's internet regulator urged the government to reverse a planned exemption for the video-sharing platform from its world's first national teen social media ban, Reuters noted.
Australia is set to put curbs on social media usage of a million teens, beginning this December. It announced the ban initially in November last year by introducing the new Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, which puts the onus on social media companies to prevent children from accessing their platforms.
What does the ban on YouTube entail?
Teenagers will still be able to view YouTube videos but will not be permitted to have an account, that is required for uploading content or interacting on the platform, according to BBC.
Under the ban, the social media platforms, now including YouTube, will need to deactivate existing accounts and prohibit any new accounts, as well as stopping any workarounds and correcting errors, the report underlined.
The government, currently awaiting a report on tests of age-checking products, said those results will influence enforcement of the ban, Reuters mentioned.
Chief information security officer at cyber security firm Arctic Wolf, Adam Marre, welcoming the Australian government's move said that artificial intelligence has supercharged the spread of misinformation on social media platforms such as YouTube.
'The Australian government's move to regulate YouTube is an important step in pushing back against the unchecked power of big tech and protecting kids,' he wrote over an email.
Feud between YouTube and Australia government?
The government last year, at the time of introducing the Online Safety Amendment Bill, said that it would exempt YouTube due to its popularity with teachers, as per the report. However, social media platforms Meta, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, complained.
Australia's internet regulator last month urged the government to overturn the exemption on YouTube, citing a survey that found 37 per cent of minors consuming harmful content on the site, in the worst demonstration for a social media platform, Reuters reported.
The country's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant then recommended YouTube be added to the ban as it was 'the most frequently cited platform' where children aged 10 to 15 years saw 'harmful content'.
She said social media companies deployed 'persuasive design features' such as recommendation-based algorithms and notifications to keep users online and 'YouTube has mastered those, opaque algorithms driving users down rabbit holes they're powerless to fight against', Reuters quoted.
YouTube, over a blog post, accused Grant of giving inconsistent and contradictory advice, discounting the government's own research which found 69 per cent of parents considering the video platform suitable for those under 15, according to the report.
'The eSafety commissioner chose to ignore this data, the decision of the Australian Government and other clear evidence from teachers and parents that YouTube is suitable for younger users,' the report quoted Rachel Lord, YouTube's public policy manager for Australia and New Zealand.
Last week, YouTube had told Reuters it had written to the government urging it 'to uphold the integrity of the legislative process'. YouTube also threatened a court challenge, as quoted by local media, however, YouTube has not confirmed the same.
What has YouTube stated?
In a statement on Wednesday, YouTube, a tech company owned by Google, argued against the ban, saying that the platform 'offers benefit and value to younger Australians.'
YouTube also highlighted that its platform is used by nearly three-quarters of Australians aged 13 to 15, and should not be classified as social media, considering its main activity is hosting videos.
'Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It's not social media,' a YouTube spokesperson stated over an email.
The spokesperson also stated YouTube will 'consider next steps' and 'continue to engage' with the government.
Why has the ban been introduced?
Speaking to the media today, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, 'Social media is doing social harm to our children, and I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs… We know that this is not the only solution,' he said of the ban, 'but it will make a difference.'
Australia Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells, as quoted by the BBC, said that while there is a place for social media, 'there's not a place for predatory algorithms targeting children'.
On YouTube threatening a court challenge, Wells said, 'I will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the well-being of Australian kids.'
What if YouTube and other tech companies refuses to comply?
Under the ban, tech companies can fined up to A$50m ($32.5m; £25.7m) if they do not comply with the age restrictions, as per the BBC report.
What is Australia's social media ban all about?
The Australian law called the ban as one of the 'reasonable steps' to block teen users (below the age of 16) from accessing social media platforms.
The Online Safety Amendment Bill 2024 stated, 'There are age restrictions for certain social media platforms. A provider of such a platform must take reasonable steps to prevent children who have not reached a minimum age from having accounts.'
PM Albanese had announced via a statement, 'The bill also makes clear that no Australian will be compelled to use government identification (including Digital ID) for age assurance on social media. Platforms must offer reasonable alternatives to users.'
Notably, access to online gaming and apps associated with education and health support (like Google Classroom) will be allowed, now barring YouTube from this exemption.
Other parts of the world, including, Britain, Norway and European Union countries including France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, have introduced similar curbs on social media usage among teens and children.
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