‘It would be like banning a library': eSafety Commissioner ‘misled' Australians on push to ban YouTube
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has been pushing Labor Minister Anika Wells to ban 15-year-olds from YouTube claiming she was following research.
She alleged research proved YouTube was 'driving users down rabbit holes they're powerless to fight against'.
"I don't make determinations or write recommendations to the minister based on whether I keep the public onside. I follow the evidence," she said, to a room full of journalists last month.
"My main concern with these platforms is that harms are happening, but I talked about the pervasive design features.
"YouTube has mastered those. Opaque algorithms driving users down rabbit holes they're powerless to fight against."
Ms Grant repeatedly refused to release that research until SkyNews.com.au lodged a Freedom of Information request.
A few days later the documents were published by eSafety but rather than comprehensive research, it was merely a survey.
The results of the survey also painted a very different picture. There was no mention of 'opaque algorithms' or 'rabbit holes' anywhere in the 23-page document.
In fact, it found that YouTube was one of the safest platforms for key risk concerns such as grooming, sexual harassment and bullying.
Children are more likely to be bullied via text messages than on YouTube.
The percentage of teenagers who reported being groomed on YouTube was three per cent, the same percentage as teenagers who reported grooming via text messages.
On Snapchat the figure was seven times higher at 23 per cent. On Instagram it was five times higher at 17 per cent.
There was no recommendation from Ms Inman Grant to ban text messages for teenagers. Users need to be at least 13-years-old to create a YouTube account, meaning eSafety's proposed ban would only impact teenagers.
Sky News Digital Editor Jack Houghton, host of The Media Show, told his audience the survey was a "flawed" way to research the issue as it was based on the perceptions of young children who were being asked to self-identify 'harmful content'.
The authors of the research also published a limitation warning on the work's methodology.
"The findings from this research are reliant on cross-sectional self-reported data. This means that the data are based on children's and parent/caregivers' experiences and perceptions as they have shared them with us at one point in time, rather than being based on independent observation or assessment".
Mr Houghton said the survey showed that, not only was YouTube one of the safest platforms, but the government would also have to ban texting to be consistent.
"While the number of children on Snapchat who claim they were groomed was a disgusting 23 per cent, the number reported on YouTube was 3 per cent. The exact same rate of grooming in text messages. Should we ban 15-year-olds from texting?" he asked.
"Sexual harassment on Snapchat, 35 per cent. YouTube, again, 3 per cent. And all the other major platforms are significantly higher than YouTube on these points.
"Your kids are also less likely to be bullied on YouTube than any other major platform. Guess what the percentage was? 3 per cent again. You are nearly twice as likely to have your kids bullied through text messages, than you are by letting them watch videos on YouTube."
He also argued Grant's representation of the research was clearly misleading.
'You have been misled by Grant and by Labor,' he said.
'YouTube is the most powerfully creative, interesting part of the internet. You can learn Michelin star cooking techniques from Marco Pierre White.
'You can learn the guitar, piano or the most niche of instrument from the greatest musicians alive today. And more importantly, our kids can learn about the world without us needing to bubble wrap every notion and debate.
'Instead of embracing this knowledge, we are trying to create a generation of technological luddites while the rest of the world evolves past us.
'Banning teenagers from YouTube because of a survey is no more absurd to me than the notion a library should be banned. We have to be better as disagreeing with each other, and we need to stop being so afraid of ideas.'
On The Media Show, Sky News contributor Kel Richards described the push to ban YouTube as a book banning crusade, arguing it was nothing more than censorship.
"In the end, the evidence doesn't matter, the survey doesn't matter. This is a book-burning mentality. This is 'I'm going to decide what is bad for you'."
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