YouTube blasts eSafety Commissioner, says exemption should stay
YouTube has blasted the eSafety Commissioner for giving 'inconsistent and contradictory' advice after the agency called on the Albanese government to reverse a decision to explicitly exclude the platform from a social media ban for people under 16.
The Google-owned online video platform had been told it would be exempt from new, world-first laws that will lift the minimum legal age to use social media from 13 to 16 years old. The exemption outraged rivals TikTok, Meta and Snap.
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
YouTube in frame for youth ban after safety spin claims
Australia's online watchdog is pushing for YouTube to be included in a landmark social media ban for children, accusing platforms of spin in their safety claims. eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the video-streaming giant should be captured in laws to restrict access for people under the age of 16. The "world-leading" laws will come into effect from December, but YouTube had received an exemption under the legislation, while platforms including Instagram, Facebook and TikTok will be off-limits. Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday, Ms Inman Grant pointed to research that showed seven in 10 children aged between 10 and 15 had encountered harmful content on the internet. YouTube was the most-cited platform for young people viewing the material. "Any platform that says they're absolutely safe is absolutely spinning words," she said. YouTube has fiercely rejected the commissioner's call, denying the site is harmful for young users and argues it should not be considered a social media platform. In a statement, the Google-owned company urged the government to stick to its public commitment of granting its platform an exemption. YouTube's Australian public policy manager Rachel Lord said the eSafety commissioner had ignored other advice showing the platform was suitable for young people. "This recommendation is in direct contradiction to the government's decision to exempt YouTube from the ban," she said. "eSafety's advice goes against the government's own commitment, its own research on community sentiment, independent research and the view of key stakeholders in this debate." Ms Inman Grant announced the watchdog was moving to register three industry-prepared codes to limit children's access to high-impact material such as pornography, violent content, themes of suicide and disordered eating. She flagged artificial intelligence tools that can estimate a user's age were being looked at to help enforce the incoming youth ban. A survey by the commission of more than 2600 children aged between 10 and 15 showed 96 per cent had used at least one social media platform, Ms Inman Grant said. "Our implementation of this legislation is not designed to cut off kids from their digital lifelines, or to inhibit their ability to connect, to communicate, to create or explore," she said. Research from the federal government's age-assurance trial found a majority thought YouTube was suitable for people younger than 15. Under the age ban, social media platforms would be fined up to $50 million if the measures are not enforced. A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells said the commission's advice on YouTube was being considered. "The minister's top priority is making sure the draft rules fulfil the objective of the act and protect children from the harms of social media," they said. Opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh said it was disappointing the government was only now getting advice from the eSafety commissioner with six months left before the ban was due. "In or out, the government needs to make its position clear on the requirements for social media platforms and families to protect our kids from the vitriol that is so prevalent online," she said. Australia's online watchdog is pushing for YouTube to be included in a landmark social media ban for children, accusing platforms of spin in their safety claims. eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the video-streaming giant should be captured in laws to restrict access for people under the age of 16. The "world-leading" laws will come into effect from December, but YouTube had received an exemption under the legislation, while platforms including Instagram, Facebook and TikTok will be off-limits. Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday, Ms Inman Grant pointed to research that showed seven in 10 children aged between 10 and 15 had encountered harmful content on the internet. YouTube was the most-cited platform for young people viewing the material. "Any platform that says they're absolutely safe is absolutely spinning words," she said. YouTube has fiercely rejected the commissioner's call, denying the site is harmful for young users and argues it should not be considered a social media platform. In a statement, the Google-owned company urged the government to stick to its public commitment of granting its platform an exemption. YouTube's Australian public policy manager Rachel Lord said the eSafety commissioner had ignored other advice showing the platform was suitable for young people. "This recommendation is in direct contradiction to the government's decision to exempt YouTube from the ban," she said. "eSafety's advice goes against the government's own commitment, its own research on community sentiment, independent research and the view of key stakeholders in this debate." Ms Inman Grant announced the watchdog was moving to register three industry-prepared codes to limit children's access to high-impact material such as pornography, violent content, themes of suicide and disordered eating. She flagged artificial intelligence tools that can estimate a user's age were being looked at to help enforce the incoming youth ban. A survey by the commission of more than 2600 children aged between 10 and 15 showed 96 per cent had used at least one social media platform, Ms Inman Grant said. "Our implementation of this legislation is not designed to cut off kids from their digital lifelines, or to inhibit their ability to connect, to communicate, to create or explore," she said. Research from the federal government's age-assurance trial found a majority thought YouTube was suitable for people younger than 15. Under the age ban, social media platforms would be fined up to $50 million if the measures are not enforced. A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells said the commission's advice on YouTube was being considered. "The minister's top priority is making sure the draft rules fulfil the objective of the act and protect children from the harms of social media," they said. Opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh said it was disappointing the government was only now getting advice from the eSafety commissioner with six months left before the ban was due. "In or out, the government needs to make its position clear on the requirements for social media platforms and families to protect our kids from the vitriol that is so prevalent online," she said. Australia's online watchdog is pushing for YouTube to be included in a landmark social media ban for children, accusing platforms of spin in their safety claims. eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the video-streaming giant should be captured in laws to restrict access for people under the age of 16. The "world-leading" laws will come into effect from December, but YouTube had received an exemption under the legislation, while platforms including Instagram, Facebook and TikTok will be off-limits. Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday, Ms Inman Grant pointed to research that showed seven in 10 children aged between 10 and 15 had encountered harmful content on the internet. YouTube was the most-cited platform for young people viewing the material. "Any platform that says they're absolutely safe is absolutely spinning words," she said. YouTube has fiercely rejected the commissioner's call, denying the site is harmful for young users and argues it should not be considered a social media platform. In a statement, the Google-owned company urged the government to stick to its public commitment of granting its platform an exemption. YouTube's Australian public policy manager Rachel Lord said the eSafety commissioner had ignored other advice showing the platform was suitable for young people. "This recommendation is in direct contradiction to the government's decision to exempt YouTube from the ban," she said. "eSafety's advice goes against the government's own commitment, its own research on community sentiment, independent research and the view of key stakeholders in this debate." Ms Inman Grant announced the watchdog was moving to register three industry-prepared codes to limit children's access to high-impact material such as pornography, violent content, themes of suicide and disordered eating. She flagged artificial intelligence tools that can estimate a user's age were being looked at to help enforce the incoming youth ban. A survey by the commission of more than 2600 children aged between 10 and 15 showed 96 per cent had used at least one social media platform, Ms Inman Grant said. "Our implementation of this legislation is not designed to cut off kids from their digital lifelines, or to inhibit their ability to connect, to communicate, to create or explore," she said. Research from the federal government's age-assurance trial found a majority thought YouTube was suitable for people younger than 15. Under the age ban, social media platforms would be fined up to $50 million if the measures are not enforced. A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells said the commission's advice on YouTube was being considered. "The minister's top priority is making sure the draft rules fulfil the objective of the act and protect children from the harms of social media," they said. Opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh said it was disappointing the government was only now getting advice from the eSafety commissioner with six months left before the ban was due. "In or out, the government needs to make its position clear on the requirements for social media platforms and families to protect our kids from the vitriol that is so prevalent online," she said. Australia's online watchdog is pushing for YouTube to be included in a landmark social media ban for children, accusing platforms of spin in their safety claims. eSafety commissioner Julie Inman Grant said the video-streaming giant should be captured in laws to restrict access for people under the age of 16. The "world-leading" laws will come into effect from December, but YouTube had received an exemption under the legislation, while platforms including Instagram, Facebook and TikTok will be off-limits. Addressing the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday, Ms Inman Grant pointed to research that showed seven in 10 children aged between 10 and 15 had encountered harmful content on the internet. YouTube was the most-cited platform for young people viewing the material. "Any platform that says they're absolutely safe is absolutely spinning words," she said. YouTube has fiercely rejected the commissioner's call, denying the site is harmful for young users and argues it should not be considered a social media platform. In a statement, the Google-owned company urged the government to stick to its public commitment of granting its platform an exemption. YouTube's Australian public policy manager Rachel Lord said the eSafety commissioner had ignored other advice showing the platform was suitable for young people. "This recommendation is in direct contradiction to the government's decision to exempt YouTube from the ban," she said. "eSafety's advice goes against the government's own commitment, its own research on community sentiment, independent research and the view of key stakeholders in this debate." Ms Inman Grant announced the watchdog was moving to register three industry-prepared codes to limit children's access to high-impact material such as pornography, violent content, themes of suicide and disordered eating. She flagged artificial intelligence tools that can estimate a user's age were being looked at to help enforce the incoming youth ban. A survey by the commission of more than 2600 children aged between 10 and 15 showed 96 per cent had used at least one social media platform, Ms Inman Grant said. "Our implementation of this legislation is not designed to cut off kids from their digital lifelines, or to inhibit their ability to connect, to communicate, to create or explore," she said. Research from the federal government's age-assurance trial found a majority thought YouTube was suitable for people younger than 15. Under the age ban, social media platforms would be fined up to $50 million if the measures are not enforced. A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells said the commission's advice on YouTube was being considered. "The minister's top priority is making sure the draft rules fulfil the objective of the act and protect children from the harms of social media," they said. Opposition communications spokeswoman Melissa McIntosh said it was disappointing the government was only now getting advice from the eSafety commissioner with six months left before the ban was due. "In or out, the government needs to make its position clear on the requirements for social media platforms and families to protect our kids from the vitriol that is so prevalent online," she said.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Albanese's class of 2025 tightens PM's grip on party
Many in the current ministry were supported by Albanese on their way up, such as Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy and Communications Minister Anika Wells, Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain and Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale. Many of the new MPs have similar ties to the PM, such as former Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White, who has been appointed assistant minister for women, Anne Urquhart, who Albanese encouraged to quit her position in the Senate to run for the Tasmanian seat of Braddon, and Rowan Holzberger, who was elected in the Queensland seat of Forde. Albanese also heavily backed the pre-selection of Matt Smith, the former Cairns Taipans basketball player, whose electorate he visited several times during the 2025 campaign. Smith said the PM's campaign message of centrist policymaking and stability in an uncertain world would be a marker of success. 'Stability is the aim of any government. You set out to deliver what you said, and that was a strength of the Albanese government coming into this election, and then I think was reflected in the results. Loading 'Having played sport for so long, when you've got that clear message and everyone's pulling in the right way, that's when you have success.' Labor won 12 seats from the Liberals or Liberal National Party in Queensland, three from the Greens and one from an ex-Liberal MP Ian Goodenough, who quit the party during the previous term and contested the election as an independent, as well as securing an inaugural victory in the new seat of Bullwinkel in Western Australia. ANU Australian historian Frank Bongiorno said landslide election wins such as the Menzies' government in 1949 and Bob Hawke's in 1983 have had long-lasting impacts on the political landscape. Bongiorno said John Howard's big win in 1996, when the Coalition gained 26 seats, launched a number of significant careers such as those of Warren Entsch, Joe Hockey, Sharman Stone, Danna Vale, Joanna Gash and Jackie Kelly and established a new demographic target for the Coalition in the mortgage belts of Howard battlers. 'It brought some very, very significant women into the parliament and also, I think, crafted that idea of Western Sydney being very critical,' he said. However, Bongiorno said the shock results in formerly safe Labor seats of Bean in the ACT and Fremantle in Western Australia, which the government won by razor-thin margins, showed the unpredictability of elections given the collapse in primary votes of major parties. 'Things have changed in terms of how votes translate into seats and majorities these days. It's a very different world even from 1996,' he said. 'So we're dealing obviously with a really significant number of MPs who, even if they've got what look like reasonably solid margins, are going to have to work very hard to protect them because the idea of the traditional safe seat does seem to be in decline.'
The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
Albanese's class of 2025 tightens PM's grip on party
Many in the current ministry were supported by Albanese on their way up, such as Skills and Training Minister Andrew Giles, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy and Communications Minister Anika Wells, Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain and Bennelong MP Jerome Laxale. Many of the new MPs have similar ties to the PM, such as former Tasmanian Labor leader Rebecca White, who has been appointed assistant minister for women, Anne Urquhart, who Albanese encouraged to quit her position in the Senate to run for the Tasmanian seat of Braddon, and Rowan Holzberger, who was elected in the Queensland seat of Forde. Albanese also heavily backed the pre-selection of Matt Smith, the former Cairns Taipans basketball player, whose electorate he visited several times during the 2025 campaign. Smith said the PM's campaign message of centrist policymaking and stability in an uncertain world would be a marker of success. 'Stability is the aim of any government. You set out to deliver what you said, and that was a strength of the Albanese government coming into this election, and then I think was reflected in the results. Loading 'Having played sport for so long, when you've got that clear message and everyone's pulling in the right way, that's when you have success.' Labor won 12 seats from the Liberals or Liberal National Party in Queensland, three from the Greens and one from an ex-Liberal MP Ian Goodenough, who quit the party during the previous term and contested the election as an independent, as well as securing an inaugural victory in the new seat of Bullwinkel in Western Australia. ANU Australian historian Frank Bongiorno said landslide election wins such as the Menzies' government in 1949 and Bob Hawke's in 1983 have had long-lasting impacts on the political landscape. Bongiorno said John Howard's big win in 1996, when the Coalition gained 26 seats, launched a number of significant careers such as those of Warren Entsch, Joe Hockey, Sharman Stone, Danna Vale, Joanna Gash and Jackie Kelly and established a new demographic target for the Coalition in the mortgage belts of Howard battlers. 'It brought some very, very significant women into the parliament and also, I think, crafted that idea of Western Sydney being very critical,' he said. However, Bongiorno said the shock results in formerly safe Labor seats of Bean in the ACT and Fremantle in Western Australia, which the government won by razor-thin margins, showed the unpredictability of elections given the collapse in primary votes of major parties. 'Things have changed in terms of how votes translate into seats and majorities these days. It's a very different world even from 1996,' he said. 'So we're dealing obviously with a really significant number of MPs who, even if they've got what look like reasonably solid margins, are going to have to work very hard to protect them because the idea of the traditional safe seat does seem to be in decline.'
